Black Teen From Louisiana Accepted to 75 Colleges, Earns $1M in Scholarships

Nationwide — Makenzie Williams, a 17-year-old African American student from Monroe, Louisiana, has been accepted into over 75 colleges and awarded more than $1 million in scholarships. She is graduating as the top student in her class.

According to WLBT, Williams is a senior at Ouachita Parish High School, where she scored a 27 on the ACT. She was recently recognized as one of the top 20 scholars invited to the Ouachita 2025 Scholars Banquet.

Her mother, Keyonya, shared that Makenzie is ranked #1 in her class out of 274 students.

Makenzie plans to attend Dillard University, an HBCU in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Her achievements have garnered attention on social media, with many praising her dedication and hard work.