Loyola Academy Student Awarded Merit Scholarship To U of C

WILMETTE, IL — A Loyola Academy student was named among the latest group of about 3,500 National Merit scholars announced by the Evanston-based National Merit Scholarship Corporation Wednesday. The winners were selected from among 15,000 finalists who met academic and other requirements by college admissions officials to receive college-sponsored scholarships. The recent graduates will receive between $500 and $2,000 annually to cover up to four years of undergraduate study.

Jason W. Vrbancic, of Chicago's Northwest Side, was awarded a four-year scholarship sponsored by the University of Chicago. He has a probable career field in mechanical engineering, according to National Merit.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation is a nonprofit founded in 1955. A majority of the $31 million in college scholarships it distributes are underwritten by sponsors – about 178 colleges and 232 corporations.

Students were evaluated on their academic record, including how difficult their classes were, standardized test scores, extracurricular contributions, an essay and a recommendation from a high school official.

Last month, the organization awarded $2,500 single-payment scholarships to three Loyola students who live in Wilmette and another from Evanston.

The month prior, the organization named over 1,000 winners of its corporate sponsored awards.

A final group of scholarships will be announced in July for a total of 4,000 for the year, according to the organization.

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