When Pelumi Ibrahim first arrived at Randolph-Macon Academy four years ago, he knew he wanted to push himself academically. What he did not yet know was how much the experience would shape the person he would become.
Now, as Randolph-Macon Academy’s Class of 2026 Valedictorian, Ibrahim is preparing to take the next step in that journey at Stanford University, where he plans to study Electrical Engineering.
“This recognition means a lot to me,” Ibrahim said. “It means that all the hard work that I put in over the past four years at R-MA actually meant something and is being recognized.”
Ibrahim graduates after earning a 4.438 GPA while making the President’s List for 16 consecutive quarters, completing 10 AP courses, earning AP Scholar with Honors distinction, and receiving a National Merit Scholarship Commendation recognizing him among the top PSAT scorers in the nation. Outside the classroom, he is currently pursuing an independent research project focused on developing machine learning models for diabetic retinopathy.
Still, Ibrahim says the most important growth happened outside of grades and accolades.
He credits the structure and expectations of life at Randolph-Macon Academy with helping him develop adaptability, independence, discipline, and accountability — qualities he believes will serve him far beyond college.
“Going to R-MA has built discipline and time management skills that I wouldn’t be able to get anywhere else,” he said. “The structure here keeps you accountable at all times.”
As Class President, Ibrahim also learned difficult leadership lessons about confidence, responsibility, and decision-making.
“That role forces you to be confident and stand on the decisions that you make,” he said.
This fall, he will head west to Stanford University, which he says felt like the right fit both academically and personally.
“I believe it’s the right fit because it has arguably the best program in America for my major, Electrical Engineering,” Ibrahim said. “I’d be with my sister as well, which would make the college experience that much easier.”
While Ibrahim’s path will take him across the country, Salutatorian RJ Bamfo’s story began an ocean away.
Bamfo moved to the United States from Nigeria as a freshman and admits the transition was not always easy. Looking back now, he credits the Randolph-Macon Academy community with helping him find confidence and stability during those early years.
“I remember initially being lost when I moved,” Bamfo said, “but the wonderful community at R-MA helped me find my footing and become more comfortable.”
That support system, combined with the Academy’s emphasis on discipline, accountability, and leadership development, helped Bamfo grow into one of the top students in the Class of 2026.
Bamfo earned a 4.430 GPA while making the President’s List for 16 consecutive quarters and completing 10 AP courses. Alongside his academic work, he volunteered with the organization I Vote for Me and explored his growing interest in technology and business through software development projects, including work on an AI-powered restaurant chatbot and a website focused on reducing prescription medication costs.
“R-MA has taught me discipline, accountability, and most of all the importance of consistency,” he said.
Leadership opportunities also played a major role in shaping Bamfo’s confidence. Serving as a class officer during his sophomore year gave him his first real experience leading others and showed him what it meant to take responsibility for a community larger than himself.
This fall, Bamfo will attend the University of Pennsylvania’s prestigious Wharton School of Business.
“I feel like it’s a school that could probably prepare me the best for my professional career,” he said.
Together, Ibrahim and Bamfo represent more than academic achievement. Their stories reflect the kind of globally-minded, disciplined leaders Randolph-Macon Academy strives to develop: students who arrive from different backgrounds, challenge themselves academically and personally, and graduate prepared to thrive at some of the nation’s most elite institutions.
Brig. Gen. David Wesley, USAF (Ret.), President of Randolph-Macon Academy, says both students embody the values the Academy hopes every graduate carries forward.
“Pelumi and RJ represent the culmination of the student culture at R-MA. I’m proud of the teachers, coaches, dorm staff, and mentors who shepherded both young men through their years on our campus, but the way these remarkable cadets have embraced our values and standards of conduct is a product of the way their classmates held them accountable. That’s a blessing that will stay with Pelumi and RJ always!”
The Class of 2026 has earned more than $16 million in scholarship offers and includes students attending some of the nation’s most competitive universities and service academies. From service academy appointments to top-tier universities like Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania, the graduating class reflects Randolph-Macon Academy’s continued focus on preparing students for leadership in college, career, and life.
Located in Front Royal, Virginia, Randolph-Macon Academy is a college-preparatory boarding and day school serving students in grades 8–12. Through a combination of academics, leadership development, character education, and hands-on opportunities, R-MA prepares students from around the world for success in college and life.