Sara Alkelani, a political science and sociology double major from Greenville, South Carolina, has been awarded the Norris Medal, the top academic honor for the Class of 2026.
A 2026 Rhodes Scholarship finalist, Alkelani has been recognized for outstanding achievement by her department, college and the University as a whole.
“I am incredibly proud of Sara and want to congratulate her on being named the Norris Medal winner as the top overall student in the class of 2026,” said Interim University President Robert H. Jones. “We are thrilled to celebrate this amazing achievement and look forward to all that she will continue to accomplish.”
As a part of Clemson’s National Scholars Program, Alkelani took full advantage of the opportunities afforded her abroad, while also staying involved across campus. She’s done it all, including blood drives with Alpha Phi Omega, supporting newcomers to Clemson through ECAR, helping to put on Tigerama, being recognized as Clemson Football’s Student of the Game and hammocking by Bowman Field. From seeing giraffes in person while she studied in South Africa to writing policy memos in the classroom to interning in Washington, D.C. — Alkelani’s been there, done that.
But her impact is so much more than just the sum of its parts. She’s a passionate storyteller and the kind of person who dedicates herself to making sure other people’s voices get heard. She believes the Clemson Family should be open to everyone, regardless of who they are or where they are from, and she puts those beliefs into action every day.
Echoing her interdisciplinary learning focus at Clemson, Alkelani plans to deepen her understanding of global systems in graduate school, focusing on a master’s program in policy development before advancing to law school and a career in international policy. Before that, however, she plans to teach English in Morocco as a Fulbright Scholar.
“For me, graduation feels like the culmination of my story and the dreams I had growing up,” said Alkelani. “I’ve gotten a world-class education at Clemson, and now I can continue that work on a larger scale.”
Alkelani has touched the lives of so many other students and community members, and the mark she’s made on campus will last long after her May 2026 graduation.
