Natick, Wayland Students Awarded National Merit Scholarships

NATICK, MA — School in Massachusetts might be canceled for the remainder of the year, but graduating seniors are still headed to college next fall. That means this spring is scholarship award season.

On Tuesday, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the first round of 2020 merit scholars. Fourteen students from Massachusetts got scholarships, including two in Natick and Wayland. Only about 1,000 students across the U.S. were awarded scholarships in this first round.

About 16,000 students across the U.S. became National Merit finalists in this year's competition, and 7,600 of them will win some type of scholarship.

The awards announced Tuesday are sponsored by corporations and are worth between $1,000 and $10,000, and some are renewed each year through college. Here are the local winners:

Grace G. Jung, Natick High School
Probable career field: Psychiatry
National Merit Pfizer Inc. Scholarship

Pfizer Inc is a diversified company with plants in some 40 countries and sales in more than 100. Its approximately 90,000 employees produce and market pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, hospital products, and consumer products. These Merit Scholarship awards are provided by Pfizer Inc to the children of employees.

Brendan X. Ho, Wayland High School
Probable career field: Environmental Science
National Merit Astrazeneca Pharmaceuticals Scholarship

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals sponsors Merit Scholarship awards for the children of its employees as part of the company's work/life commitment to its employees. Through this sponsorship, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals demonstrates its confidence in the youth of America, recognizes their outstanding achievement, and supports the future of our country.