Valedictorian Aaron Williams Receives $8 Million In Scholarships & More Than 80 College Acceptance Letters

Aaron Williams, an 18-year-old from the Chicago area, has become a symbol of academic excellence and perseverance after being accepted into 83 colleges and securing more than $8 million in scholarships. A recent graduate of Bogan High School, Williams earned straight A's and fulfilled a promise he boldly made as a freshman: “Came in to the principal and said I would be the class of 2025 valedictorian, and now it’s safe to say that I have done that,” he shared. His achievement is a testament to years of diligence, countless scholarship applications, and support from those around him.

His mother, Ericka Smith, recalled the overwhelming number of college acceptance letters still arriving: “They’re still coming in daily. He gets emails, so they’re just a little bit behind.” Williams credits his success not only to his own efforts but also to the guidance and encouragement from his family and educators. “It’s kind of relieving to know that it actually paid off in the long run,” he said about the long hours spent applying for scholarships.

One of his motivations was a bit of sibling rivalry. As the youngest of seven, Williams set a goal to surpass the scholarship total of one of his older siblings, who had received $1 million. “It kind of pushed me harder,” he admitted. “It kind of motivated me in a way to see how far I can go with it.”

In the fall, Williams will attend Northern Illinois University on a full scholarship and plans to major in electrical engineering. He’s already aiming for his next goal—graduating as valedictorian from NIU as well. His mother highlighted the network of care and encouragement that helped shape him: “He is who he is because of community, because of principals who cared, because of those biological aunts that cared, the non-biological ones.”

Williams’ journey reflects what’s possible when ambition meets opportunity, support, and determination.

Link: WAFB