Walnut Creek's Winners Of $2500 National Merit Scholarships

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The 2025 National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners have been announced, including three Walnut Creek students.

They are part of a total of 2,500 Merit Scholar designees selected from more than 15,000 Finalists nationwide, recognized for their strong combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Scholars were chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors based on a range of materials, including academic records, PSAT/NMSQT scores, essays, recommendations, and evidence of leadership and contributions in school and community activities.

The three 2025 $2500 National Merit Scholarship winners from Walnut Creek are:

• Sophia Mitchell, Northgate High School — Law
• Seth Raphael, Las Lomas High School — Computer Science
• Harrshwin Sivakumaran Thangaraj, Las Lomas High School — Law

This announcement is part of a series — in April, 830 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipients were named, and in June and July, about 3,600 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship winners will be announced. By the end of the program cycle, more than 6,930 students will have received approximately $26 million in scholarships.

Most National Merit $2500 Scholarships are funded by NMSC, with support from corporations, company foundations, and donations to the President’s Fund. Scholars can use their awards at any accredited U.S. college or university.