Richard Smith of Archmere Academy and Shannon Salerni of Padua Academy are among the first group of winners named in the 68th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. They are among approximately 840 high school seniors from across the country to earn corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 107 corporations, company foundations and other business organizations.
The winners were announced April 26 by the National Merit Scholarship Corp. Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the finalist level and met criteria of the scholarship sponsors. Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for children of employees, residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage.
Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $1,000-10,000. Some are single payments between $2,500-5,000.
Smith listed his probably career field as investment banking. His scholarship is sponsored by the Siemens Corp., which produces and markets electrical and electronic systems, instruments and components for medicine, science and industry.
Salerni’s scholarship was sponsored by Mannington Mills Inc., which provides awards for children of employees as part of its support of higher education. She lists her probably career field as international business.
By the conclusion of the 2023 National Merit Scholarship program, more than 7,140 finalists will have been selected as scholarship winners. The total amount of the grants is nearly $28 million.
