2 Vestavia Residents Receive National Merit Scholarships

EVANSTON, IL — National Merit Scholarship Corporation Monday announced more than 1,000 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities, including two from Vestavia Hills. These Merit Scholar winners join more than 3,100 other college-sponsored award recipients who were announced in June.

Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who will attend their institution. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship.

This year, 160 colleges and universities are sponsoring over 4,100 Merit Scholarship awards. Sponsor colleges include 85 private and 75 public institutions located in 42 states and the District of Columbia.

Vestavia Hills residents receiving scholarships this round include:

• Jonathan R. Sanders; Jefferson County International Baccalaureate School
• Dylan Weilong Shi; Vestavia Hills High School

A total of 16,000 students were selected as finalists for the scholarships and the final winners are candidates "judged to have the strongest combination of academic skills and achievements, extracurricular accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies."