7 Howard County Students Named National Merit Scholars

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Another round of National Merit scholars have been named, including a few in Howard County.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced this week more than 2,900 winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by U.S. colleges and universities. These awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. This year, 149 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program. Sponsor colleges and universities include 77 private and 72 public institutions located in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

By the conclusion of this year’s competition, more than 6,870 academic champions will have won National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $26 million.

• Athena R. Devashish of Clarksville, River Hill High School, plans to study chemical engineering, National Merit University of Minnesota Scholarship
• Celine L. Blanchette of Ellicott City, Mount Hebron High School, plans to study materials engineering, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship
• Hannah Seok of Ellicott City, Mount Hebron High School, plans to study orthodontics, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship
• Vardaan Srivastava of Ellicott City, Marriotts Ridge High School, plans to study law, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship
• Alexander Y. Yang of Ellicott City, Marriotts Ridge High School, plans to study computer programming, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship
• Ishaan S. Punnackal of Fulton, Altholton High School, plans to study computer engineering, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship
• Julia Y. Chen of Laurel, Reservoir High School, plans to study food science, National Merit University of Maryland Scholarship