Not knowing what to expect after being called down by Briana Underwood for scholarship information, senior Erin Sullivan was speechless after learning she was going to be the valedictorian for the graduating class of 2016-2017. According to Sullivan, being valedictorian was never her goal.

“I was just trying to get good grades,” Sullivan said. “I kept on moving up and it become more of a reality.”

According to Sullivan, she has tried to remain humble since the announcement. She says she is grateful and is thankful that her family and teachers have helped her on her journey.

“It’s a really great honor,” Sullivan said. “I just want to thank all my teachers and family for giving me the opportunity to do this and helping me along the way to be where I’m at.”

Sullivan is still looking into scholarships for college, but knows for a fact she will be running track and cross country for either Indiana University (IU) or Notre Dame. Since she has grown up in an Irish Catholic family and has been a Notre Dame fan since she was little, Notre Dame is a leading choice for her. The other choice is IU because the coach for track has reached out to Sullivan and has expressed interest in her coming to IU.

As far as what Sullivan wants to study, she is unsure, but she is leaning towards either business or something involving science.

For anyone aspiring to be valedictorian, Sullivan says, “It’s a huge honor , but you’re really trying to learn things you can learn for the future. It’s about the experiences you build that works toward the future.”