GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Thousands of Guilford County Schools seniors have already turned their tassels and crossed the graduation stage. One graduate of Early College at Guilford and the North Carolina School of Science & Mathematics online program is living out one of her wildest dreams.
Anika Suman graduates with a 4.73 GPA. She also walks away with more than $2 million in scholarships.
"Being able to earn this many and knowing that so many institutions, so many scholarship committees believed in my story and my passions feel really great and not being able to worry about money has been a huge blessing to my college career,” Suman said.
Suman was accepted into more than 10 schools including Ivy League schools like Brown, Dartmouth, and Columbia University. In the Fall, she will attend Duke University as a Trinity Scholar.
“It was a really difficult decision, but in the end, I brought it down to how close I want to stay to my family,” Suman said. “The scholarship itself to Duke was a full ride and being able to again not worry about money was a huge thing."
She plans to double major in computer science and electrical and computer engineering. She hopes her story shows future high school graduates that hard work truly pays off.
“Just go for it,” Suman said. “Even if you don't have full confidence in yourself. At first, I had no idea even when I was applying that I had a chance at getting them, but I just went for them. I applied and there were probably many that I did not get, but there were many that I was able to get. If something calls to you, then go for it.”
Suman was also named an Amazon Future Engineer Scholar. She will receive $40,000 and a summer software internship at Amazon headquarters. When she is not studying, she enjoys playing with her sister and hanging out with friends.