At 20 years old, Almia Valentine is a shining star at Tougaloo College and the winner of the latest “Freedom Video Competition” held in Washington, DC, February 27, 2024.
A sophomore biology major with a 3.4 GPA, Valentine said, “I am proud and blessed to be a student at Tougaloo College; it’s a wonderful place to be and a great school.”
Valentine is a 2005 graduate of Madison Central High School where she excelled in all of her classes. Her mother attended Jackson State University but she decided on Tougaloo College after attending Tougaloo’s Science, Language Arts, and Mathematics (S.L.A.M.) Summer Workshop.
On winning the prestigious competition, Valentine stated, “As part of the Student Freedom Initiative, your school had to be on the list of acceptable schools to enter the competition and Tougaloo College was on the list. So, I applied and entered, sharing the journey that my mother and I went on to get financial aid and all the financial paperwork that is required these days to receive college funds.
“The incentive for me was the winner of the competition would receive $7,500 as the first prize that would go into a savings account I could use towards attending medical or dental school. I competed against seven other students from other colleges. All competitors had to be S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) majors.”
Upon graduation from Tougaloo in 2026, Valentine plans to enroll in medical or dental school, with the latter being her first choice. She has already secured an internship with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) that will begin in a few months.
Recently, Valentine attended the regional conference for her sorority (Gamma Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.) in Mobile, Alabama. In her leisure time, she enjoys dancing, reading, and acting. Her favorite author is celebrated Mississippi writer, Jesmyn Ward.
Almia is the daughter of Curly and Tiffany Valentine, and she has two siblings, Jamison Battle and Demarkus Dinkins. The family attends Fearns Chapel Free Will Baptist Church in Pocahontas, Mississippi.
