16 Orange County Graduates Receive Merit Scholarships 2021

ORANGE COUNTY, CA —On Wednesday, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced 3,100 winners of National Merit scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and uiversities. Of those, 16 are Orange County residents.

This year, over 1.5 million juniors in 21,000 high schools across the country entered the program when they took the 2019 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. There were 17,000 semifinalists.

Students met additional requirements to reach teh finalist level, including submitting a detailed scholarship application, including an essay and information on extracurricular activities, awards and leadership positions.

Schools from across the country selected students from a list of finalists. Eachc student will receive between $500 and $2000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study.

An additional group of Merit Scholars will be announced in July, bringing the total of scholarship winners to about 4,000.

"This year, 160 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards throug the National Merit Scholarship program," a spokesperson wrote.

Briana L. Greeley CYPRESS, Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering OXFORD ACADEMY, CYPRESS NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS SCHOLARSHIP The University of Texas at Dallas attracts a diverse group of nearly 30,000 students from over 100 countries. With more than 140 academic programs across eight schools, UT Dallas is a rapidly growing public research university that includes top-ranked programs in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and business. UT Dallas continually graduates well-rounded citizens whose education has prepared them for rewarding lives and productive careers.

Seyoung Bang FULLERTON Probable career field: Law SUNNY HILLS H. S., FULLERTON NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Darren Wu FULLERTON, Probable career field: Computer Science TROY H. S., FULLERTON NATIONAL MERIT PURDUE UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP, Purdue University is a state-assisted university system with students on five campuses. Among the 25 largest colleges and universities in the nation, Purdue's West Lafayette campus enrollment exceeds 34,000. Undergraduate education at the West Lafayette campus is organized by academic schools: Agriculture; Consumer and Family Sciences; Education; Engineering; Liberal Arts; Management; Pharmacy, Nursing and Health Sciences; Science; Technology; and Veterinary Medicine.

Jonathon C. Bower IRVINE 92602 Probable career field: Engineering ARNOLD O. BECKMAN H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Alabama offers over 150 undergraduate and 85 graduate majors through 12 divisions. A resident student body of some 18,000 comes from across the nation and over 60 foreign countries. The university has many innovative learning programs, a Law Center, a School of Mines and Energy Development, a College of Engineering, and a College of Commerce and Business Administration. Student activities center around some 300 organizations, including fraternal groups, student government, and service organizations.

Sungjoon Chang IRVINE Probable career field: Finance NORTHWOOD H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Allison S. Chiang IRVINE Probable career field: Information Technology WOODBRIDGE H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS SCHOLARSHIP The University of Texas at Dallas attracts a diverse group of nearly 30,000 students from over 100 countries. With more than 140 academic programs across eight schools, UT Dallas is a rapidly growing public research university that includes top-ranked programs in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STEAM) and business. UT Dallas continually graduates well-rounded citizens whose education has prepared them for rewarding lives and productive careers.

Saihajveer S. Gulati IRVINE Probable career field: Computer Science PORTOLA H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Kacy A. Kesler IRVINE 92602 Probable career field: Pathology NORTHWOOD H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah), sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), has a student body of 25,000 from all states and over 60 foreign countries. Its twelve colleges, graduate school, and law school provide a broad choice of curricula in over 180 majors. The university produces graduates who have a high acceptance rate into professional and graduate schools and are also highly sought after by business, industry, and education.

Noah U. Kim IRVINE Probable career field: Radiology PORTOLA H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Natalie L. Mao IRVINE 92604 Probable career field: Zoology IRVINE H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Peter K. Park IRVINE Probable career field: Aerospace Engineering UNIVERSITY H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Liyang I. Sun IRVINE, Probable career field: Neuroscience ARNOLD O. BECKMAN H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT EMORY UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP Emory College is the undergraduate division of Emory University, a private, coeducational university located in suburban Atlanta. With over 3,000 students and a 12:1 student-faculty ratio, the college provides the advantages of individual attention plus the resources of a major university. Emory also offers undergraduate schools of Business Administration and Nursing, and graduate schools of Arts and Sciences, Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Allied Health, and Theology.

Leyland B. Yang IRVINE, Probable career field: Undecided UNIVERSITY H. S., IRVINE NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Luke D. Csermak LAGUNA NIGUEL, Probable career field: Fine Arts DANA HILLS H. S., DANA POINT NATIONAL MERIT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP, Founded in 1898, Northeastern University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. The University is a leader in interdisciplinary and use-inspired research, urban engagement, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. They integrate rigorous classroom studies with experiential learning opportunities - anchored by the nation's largest, most innovative cooperative education program - designed to prepare students for a lifetime of achievement.

Karina M. Patel ORANGE, Probable career field: Medicine, CANYON H. S., ANAHEIM, NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP. The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Elijah L. Seo YORBA LINDA, Probable career field: Business Administration YORBA LINDA H. S., YORBA LINDA NATIONAL MERIT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP The University of Southern California is private, coeducational, and nonsectarian, and is located in the heart of the city of Los Angeles. Undergraduate enrollment is nearly 14,000 students. A College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is complemented by 19 professional and graduate schools offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. Graduate enrollment is about 12,000.

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 graduates from Orange County. We wish you all the success in the world.