New Trier Grad Named Among Final National Merit Scholars Of Year

WILMETTE, IL — The National Merit Scholarship Corporation Monday named a recent New Trier High School graduate among its final group of scholarship winners of the 2019-20 school year.

Nadharm Dhiantravan, of Wilmette, received a college-sponsored scholarship to Northwestern University, becoming the 14th member of New Trier's class of 2020 to win a National Merit scholarship. He plans to pursue a career in medicine, according to the Evanston-based nonprofit.

Each of the college-sponsored scholarships offer students $500 and $2,000 every year for up to four years of undergraduate study, according to National Merit. School officials from the sponsoring institutions pick the winners from about 15,000 National Merit finalists.

A total of 167 colleges and universities underwrote about 4,100 college sponsored scholarships this year. Participants included include 92 private schools and 75 public ones spanning 43 states and Washington, D.C.

Last fall, National Merit officials named 35 New Trier seniors as semifinalists, an increase of four from the previous year.

Earlier this year, New Trier students were named winners of all three types of National Merit scholarships — those sponsored by colleges, provided by corporate donors and offered out of the nonprofit's own funds.

By the end of this year's competition, more than $30 million in scholarships will have been awarded, according to National Merit.

Related:
Trio Of Glencoe Residents Awarded National Merit Scholarships
11 Wilmette, Kenilworth Residents Named National Merit Scholars
New Trier Senior Wins Corporate-Sponsored National Merit Scholarship
New Trier Area Students Named Among National Merit Semifinalists