ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- An 11-year-old graduated from St. Petersburg College on Saturday. Hundreds of graduates walked across the stage to receive their diplomas. Among them was William Maillis. He graduated from high school at 9-years-old.

• 11-year-old genius graduates from St. Pete College
• William Maillis aspires to be an astrophysicist
• Maillis to get his bachelor's next then master's

When he was 5-years-old a psychologist at Ohio State University declared him a genius. Maillis began learning simple math before he was 2-years-old and learned algebra by the time he was 4-years-old.

"It's very exciting," Maillis said. "It's about as difficult as anyone else going there."

"I am totally fascinated by William and the work that he has done. He's extremely brilliant, very open and collaborative," said Dr. Tonjua Williams, President of St. Petersburg College.

Maillis is not done with school yet. Next month he'll start classes at the University of South Florida to make his dreams come true.

"I want to be an astrophysicist," Maillis said. "I want to prove to the world that God does exist through science."

After obtaining a bachelor's degree, he plans to go to another college for his master's degree.

When it comes to his genius status, he feels no different than his peers.

"I'm gifted in what I'm gifted in and other people are gifted in other things," said Maillis.