LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As graduation season comes to a close, students have been celebrating their achievements.
However, few have a story like one Maumelle woman, who is graduating at the top of her class at one of America's most prestigious universities.
Along with thousands of Arkansans, Genrietta Churbanova is set to cross the stage on Tuesday night receiving her diploma as the valedictorian of Princeton University.
She recalls the moment when she was accepted into the Ivy League just years ago.
“Definitely bittersweet. I'm excited for the next chapter. But I've also really enjoyed college," Churbanova said. “I remember I was happy after that just for weeks on end, you know if I had a bad day or something didn't go right, I just remembered that I got into Princeton and then I, you know, felt happy again.”
The Anthropology major loves to cook, and run and was even the President of the Student Society of Russian Language and Culture, amongst several other accolades.
Churbanova explained how she will specifically miss her many friends, as this is a special moment for many of them.
“I'm super grateful that we have at least so far scheduled a commencement and I know that for the majority of the members of the Class of 2024, we graduated high school in 2020, which was COVID. So most of my classmates didn't have a high school graduation," Churbanova said. "So this is a really special, I think, extra special for the class of 2024 to finally be able to have the graduation that most of us never had in high school.”
As they prepare for the big day, Churbanova will get the opportunity will deliver a sweet message to the Princeton Class of 2024.
"Since we go to Princeton, a lot of people, you know, think about what a privilege that is. But we sometimes forget that receiving any education at all is a privilege. And that, you know, a lot of us wouldn't have been able to attend Princeton, or really any other institution 100 years ago," Churbanova said.
As for what’s next, Churbanova will head to China to pursue her master’s degree in global affairs in Beijing.
Before taking off, she had one message to share with young scholars.
“Believe in yourself and follow your dreams. I know that there's not too many Arkansans at Princeton, but everyone that I know here that's from Arkansas is excelling. And never think that being from Arkansas is something that holds you back. Rather view your background and identity as something that gives you strength that gives you the power to do more and achieve your dreams," Churbanova said.