3 Skokie Students Among First Group Of National Merit Winners

SKOKIE, IL — Three Skokie students were named winners of corporate-sponsored National Merit scholarships Wednesday, as the first National Merit scholars of the year were announced.

The winners include approximately 1,000 high-school seniors from across the U.S. and 52 from Illinois. According to a release from the National Merit Scholarship Program, the corporate scholarships are financed by about 140 corporations, company foundations and other business organizations.

The awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and students get a stipend that’s anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 each year. Some of the awards include a single payment of $2,500 to $5,000.

More than 1.5 million students applied for the highly competitive scholarship and the program says that around 7,500 students will go on to win scholarships in 2021 that total $30 million.

In September, nine students at Niles West, eight at Niles North and one at Ida Crowne Jewish Academy in Skokie were named semifinalists for the scholarships.

Winners of $2,500 cash scholarships are due to be announced in May with winners of college-sponsored scholarships announced in June and July, according to the Evanston-based nonprofit National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Here are the Skokie winners of corporate-sponsored scholarships:

Leah S. Ju, of Niles West High School, was awarded a National Merit scholarship sponsored by Walgreens. She intends to pursue a career in medical research, according to National Merit.

Diana L. Shklover, of Niles North High School, was also awarded a National Merit Walgreens Co. scholarship. She intends to pursue a career in computer science, according to the nonprofit.

Jeanjuella B. Tipan, of Niles North, was awarded a scholarship sponsored by Aon. She intends to pursue a career in electrical engineering, according to National Merit.

Winners were selected from students who advanced to the finalist level and met criteria set by corporate sponsors. Most corporate-sponsored scholarships are limited to qualifying children of employees, while some are also open residents of certain areas or those who plan to pursue studies a corporate sponsor wants to encourage.

A total of 16,000 students were selected as finalists for the scholarships and the final winners are candidates “judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.”