Two Belmont Students Receive National Merit Scholarships

BELMONT, MA - Two students from Belmont have been awarded National Merit Scholarships in 2016.

The winners were announced Wednesday by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, chosen from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists nationwide

A committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors judged students from each state based on a combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in college.

Judges appraised finalists' academic record, standardized test scores, participation and leadership in school and community projects, an essay submitted by each student and a letter of recommendation from a high school official to determine the winners.

Each winner was awarded a $2,500 scholarship, financed by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation and grants from corporations and company foundations.

Here's a look at who received scholarships in Belmont:

Emma L. Pierce-Hoffman - Belmont High School, Belmont

Probable career field: Bioinformatics

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship

This award is supported by National Merit Scholarship Corporation's own funds.

Anya X. Zhang - Belmont High School, Belmont

Probable career field: Physics

National Merit $2,500 Scholarship underwritten by the Liberty Mutual Scholarship Foundation

Founded in 1912 in Massachusetts to coincide with the enactment of the workers' compensation law, Liberty Mutual is now the largest underwriter of that type of insurance, in addition to insuring all other forms of coverage, including life insurance, international insurance, and financial services.