Local students receive National Merit scholarships

Submitted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation

More than 2,500 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities were announced on May 23 by National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. An additional group of scholars will be announced in July, bringing the total number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2012 competition to approximately 4,800.

This year, 197 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program. Sponsor colleges and universities include 117 private and 80 public institutions located in 45 states and the District of Columbia.

Local award winners are:

Ÿ Aurora resident Sivani Aluru of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora is planning on studying medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Ÿ Aurora resident Kayla A. Simon of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora is planning on studying wildlife biology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Ÿ St. Charles North graduate Eric Ye is planning on studying engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Scholarship winners: National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners were announced on May 2 by National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding finalists in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program.

National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. They were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors. These scholars may use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

NMSC finances most of these single-payment National Merit $2,500 Scholarships. Corporations and company foundations that sponsor awards through NMSC also help underwrite these scholarships with grants they provide in lieu of paying administrative fees.

Local winners include:

Ÿ Aurora resident Aadharsh Sadhana, a student at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora, who is planning on studying mechanical engineering, received a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship.

Ÿ Elgin resident Lucija Filipac, a student at Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora who is planning on studying business, received a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship, underwritten by R. R. Donnelley Foundation.

Ÿ James L. Bartusek, a student at Geneva High School who is planning on studying science, received a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship.

Ÿ Geneva resident Emil Timergalievich Khabiboulline, a student at Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora who is planning on studying engineering, received a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship.

Ÿ West Dundee resident Michael T. Atten, a student at Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora who is planning on studying mechanical engineering, received a National Merit $2,500 Scholarship, underwritten by Consol Energy Inc.

Corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship Winners: National Merit Scholarship Corporation released the names of the first group of winners in the 57th annual National Merit Scholarship Program on April 18. Approximately 1,000 distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 200 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 $500 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.

A local winner is Aurora resident Christine R. Joseph, a student at Metea Valley High School in Aurora who plans on studying bioengineering. She received a National Merit PepsiCo Foundation, Inc. Scholarship.