EVANSTON, Ill. — On April 22, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) released the names of the first group of winners in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
Approximately 1,000 distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 160 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations.
Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.
Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.
Funding for these National Merit Scholarships is provided by corporate organizations that represent nearly all sectors of American industry. Sponsors from the business community have underwritten awards offered in all 65 competitions, expending or committing approximately $820 million to support the intellectual development of the nation’s scholastically talented youth.
California recipients include Ryan T. Mikami of San Diego, a student at Scripp Ranch High School in San Diego. Probable career field: Medicine. He will receive the National Merit Northrop Grumman Scholarship.
Northrop Grumman Corporation, based in Los Angeles, is a global corporation primarily serving the defense and electronic systems requirements of governments, commerce, and industry in the U.S. and friendly nations around the world. It annually supports Merit Scholarship awards for the children of employees.
For more information, visit www.nationalmerit.org.