National Merit scholarship winners announced

Several Northwest suburban students were among scholarship winners announced last week by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation in Evanston.

Nationally, about 1,700 winners financed by colleges and universities were announced, bringing the total of scholarships given in various rounds by various funders to about 7,400 worth more than $32 million.

Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who will attend their institution. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

Local finalists include:

• Blake A. Hansen of Arlington Heights, with a probable career field of foreign service. He was home-schooled and is enrolled in Wheaton College.

• Michael K. Morikado of Arlington Heights, with a probable career field of biomedical engineering. He attended Prospect High School and is enrolled in University of Southern California.

• Peter M. Cirrincione of Barrington, with a probable career field of genetics. He attended Barrington High School and is enrolled in Vanderbilt University.

• Benjamin J. Laning of Barrington, with a probable career field of biomedical engineering. He attended Barrington High School and is enrolled in Northwestern University.

• Christopher S. Ladan of Buffalo Grove, with a probable career field of earth science. He attended Stevenson High School and is enrolled in University of Southern California.

• Chirag Jay Patel of Buffalo Grove, with a probable career field of medicine. He attended Stevenson High School and is enrolled in Northwestern University.

• Rebecca M. Jakopin of Deer Park, with a probable career field of mathematics. She attended Barrington High School and is enrolled in University of Oklahoma.

• Marianna K. Shakhnazaryan of Hawthorn Woods, with a probable career field of international business. She attended Stevenson High School and is enrolled in University of Southern California.

• Jack G. Mcguire of Highland Park, with a probable career field of medicine. He attended Highland Park High School and is enrolled in Vanderbilt University.

• Mattie Lime Eckerstrom of Lake Bluff, with a probable career field of chemical engineering. She attended Lake Forest High School and is enrolled in University of Rochester.

• Paul H. Lee of Lake Zurich, who hasn't picked a probable career field. He attended Lake Zurich High School and is enrolled in University of Kentucky.

• Kathryn A. Fatina of Lincolnshire, with a probable career field of biomedical engineering. She attended Stevenson High School and is enrolled in Northwestern University.

• Julie Y. Yoon of Vernon Hills, with a probable career field of neurosurgery. She attended Vernon Hills High School and is enrolled in University of Kentucky.