ok so picture:
Stanford!Sam, getting honors and awards and certificates for academic achievement and volunteer work and extra research projects
and getting scholarships and grants and job offers and recommendations
and being totally overwhelmed because he’s not used to getting recognized for achievements, even the ones he’s most proud of
and just picture his smile when he’s up shaking someone’s hand at an awards ceremony, getting some certificate, and feeling like maybe he actually earned this after all his hard work