4 In Nashua Win National Merit Scholarships

NASHUA, NH — Four Gate City students have won 2021 National Merit Scholarships.

They were four of about 7,500 academic champions who were awarded close to $30 million nationally at both the high school and college level.

All four Nashua students will receive $2,500 from the National Merit Scholarship Program. The winners in each state, according to the program, were "judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies." The number of winners in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors, the program said.

The students who won were: Manav S. Botadra of Nashua High School South who has a probable career field of investment banking; Rucha S. Dave of Nashua High School South who seeks to study biomedical engineering; Aya M. Eyceoz of Bishop Guertin High School who has a probable career field of chemical engineering; and Rebecca S. Zhu of Nashua High School South who seeks to study computer science.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a not-for-profit founded in 1955. The scholarships are underwritten by 400 independent corporate and college sponsors.

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