UCS graduating senior earns college-based merit scholarship

A Utica Community Schools senior is among 2,200 students nationally and 55 students statewide to earn an additional award through the National Merit Scholarship program.

Marisa Hocking, of Utica Academy for International Studies, has earned the National Merit Michigan State University Scholarship. She plans to double major in materials science and engineering and Japanese.

Recipients initially qualify for the Merit program by being among the top one percent of students in the country taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. This year, the UCS had ten National Merit finalists.

Hocking is part of the distinguished group of about 7,600 high school seniors who will receive National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $34 million for college study.

This year, 184 higher education institutions are underwriting Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship program. Sponsor colleges and universities include 107 private and 77 public institutions located in 44 states and the District of Columbia.

Additional recipients of college-sponsored awards will be announced on July 13.

Earlier this spring, NMSC announced winners of corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards and National Merit $2,500 scholarships. Six UCS students were part of this award.

By the conclusion of this year’s competition, about 7,600 academic champions will have won National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $34 million.