Woodbury High School Senior Named US Presidential Scholar

WOODBURY, MN — A Woodbury High School senior is one of two U.S. Presidential Scholars from Minnesota for 2022.

Minkai Li was one of 161 high school seniors named Thursday as U.S. Presidential Scholars, alongside Edina High School’s Dedeepya Guthikonda.

Minnesota Education Commissioner Heather Mueller congratulated Li and Guthikonda and said their communities are "extremely proud" of them.

“Your hard work and diligence have brought you to this pivotal moment," Mueller said in a release. "Your commitment to not only your academics but to your community is inspiring.”

Li also earned a coveted, corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship from 3M.

He scored a perfect 36 on the ACT and was dual-enrolled at the University of Minnesota, the Twin Cities Pioneer Press reported.

Li will attend Harvard University in the fall, where he plans to major in applied math with a focus on economics and computer science, the report states.

About 5,000 of the 3.7 million students expected to graduate from high school this year qualified as 2022 Presidential Scholar candidates through SAT or ACT scores or nominations, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars selects winners based on academic success, artistic and technical excellence, essays, school evaluations and transcripts, and their commitment to community service and leadership, the U.S. Department of Education said.

"Our 2022 Presidential Scholars represent the best of America, and remind us that when empowered by education, there are no limits to what our young people can achieve," U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a release.

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