Press Release - Thirty-six seniors from South Carolina's public high schools are among the more than 2,800 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities across the nation.
Officials of each sponsoring college select their scholarship winners from among finalists in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program who plan to attend their institution. The awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
This year 200 higher education institutions are underwriting scholarship awards through the National Merit program. Sponsoring colleges and universities include 120 private and 80 public institutions located in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
D.W. Daniel High School in Pickens County had six winners of college-sponsored scholarships, while the Governor's School for Science and Mathematics in Hartsville tallied five. Clemson University tendered the most scholarships at 14, while the University of South Carolina gave six and Furman University gave four. In addition to the public school winners, two awards went to home-schooled students and 12 others to students enrolled in private schools.
Another group of scholars will be announced in July, bringing the total number of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients in the 2010 competition to over 4,900. Winners announced thus far are among approximately 8,400 distinguished high school seniors who will receive National Merit Scholarships this year worth $36 million for college undergraduate study.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance and was founded in 1955 specifically to conduct an annual scholarship program. The majority of scholarships offered each year are underwritten by 500 independent corporate and college sponsors.
Public School Winners 2010 College-Sponsored Merit Scholarships
Lewis R. Hubbard, ANDERSON Probable career field: Biological Research Westside High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Cameron L. Eubanks, BARNWELL Probable career field: Pharmacy Barnwell High School UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Brittany N. Pifer, BLYTHEWOOD Probable career field: Genetics Blythewood High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Elizabeth A. Hawthorne, CENTRAL Probable career field: Not Reported D.W. Daniel High School FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Haaris S. Khan, CENTRAL Probable career field: Medicine D. W. Daniel High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Daphne A. Sims, CHAPIN Probable career field: Management Chapin High School UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Alexis R. Carr, CHESTER Probable career field: Veterinary Medicine/Animal Science Governor's School for Science & Math CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Nandita N. Balakrishnan, CLEMSON Probable career field: Law D. W. Daniel High School EMORY UNIVERSITY
Lara L. McLellan, CLEMSON Probable career field: Environmental Law D. W. Daniel High School UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
Christine A. Schalkoff, CLEMSON Probable career field: Biology D. W. Daniel High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Anna H. Schleifer, CLEMSON Probable career field: Residential Contracting D. W. Daniel High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Caroline E. Cross, COLUMBIA Probable career field: Music Dreher High School UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
McKenzie A. Rickman, COLUMBIA Probable career field: Music Performance Spring Valley High School FURMAN UNIVERSITY
Thomas C. Robinson, COLUMBIA Probable career field: Psychology Dreher High School UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
James M. Lawson, EASLEY Probable career field: Religious Service Pickens High School WOFFORD COLLEGE
Blake A. Palles, FLORENCE Probable career field: Nuclear Engineering Wilson High School UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
Claire A. Sibley, FORT MILL Probable career field: Biotechnology Nation Ford High School UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
Joseph S. Mangelsen, GREENVILLE Probable career field: Nuclear Engineering Southside High School GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Keila E. Castillo, GREENWOOD Probable career field: International Business Greenwood High School ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Runjhun Bhatia, GREER Probable career field: Medicine Riverside High School UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
David A. Navarro, KLINE Probable career field: Chemistry Barnwell High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Cody M. Brown, LANCASTER Probable career field: Mathematics/Science Lancaster High School UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Lauren E. Crosby, LEXINGTON Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering Lexington High School AUBURN UNIVERSITY
James F. McManus, LEXINGTON Probable career field: Biomedical Engineering Governor's School for Science & Math CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
David A. Nicholson, MOUNT PLEASANT Probable career field: Science/Education Charleston County School of the Arts FURMAN UNIVERSITY
China G. Cox, MULLINS Probable career field: Medicine Governor's School for Science & Math CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Benjamin E. Ujcich, MYRTLE BEACH Probable career field: Computer Science Carolina Forest High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Caitlin E. Carter, NORTH AUGUSTA Probable career field: Writing/Law North Augusta High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Kayla J. Broeker, ORANGEBURG Probable career field: Veterinary Medicine Governor's School for Science & Math CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Colin P. Horgan, SIMPSONVILLE Probable career field: Engineering Hillcrest High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Gregory R. Peacock, SPARTANBURG Probable career field: Nuclear Engineering Dorman High School GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Alice Y. Chang, SUMMERVILLE Probable career field: International Business Governor's School for Science & Math UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
Christopher M. Nagle, SUMMERVILLE Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering Fort Dorchester High School CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
Hannah E. Smith, SUMTER Probable career field: Medicine Sumter High School UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
Ashley L. McCullough, TAYLORS Probable career field: Pediatrics Wade Hampton High School WOFFORD COLLEGE
Nathan J. Koverman, TEGA CAY Probable career field: Education (History) Fort Mill High School FURMAN UNIVERSITY
