Wallingford Students Win Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarships

WALLINGFORD, CT — Two Wallingford students have been awarded a corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship under the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's (NMSC) annual National Merit Scholarship Program, officials announced on Wednesday.

Espen A. Fenstad of Mark T. Sheehan High School won the National Merit AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals Scholarship.

“AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals sponsors Merit Scholarship awards for the children of its employees as part of the company's work/life commitment to its employees,” according to a news release. “Through this sponsorship, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals demonstrates its confidence in the youth of America, recognizes their outstanding achievement, and supports the future of our country.”

Fenstad’s probable career field is chemistry.

Alexander C. Wang of Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford won the Travelers Employees' Club Scholarship.

Wang’s probable career field is social science.

According to the NMSC, roughly 830 "distinguished high school seniors have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards financed by about 124 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations."

Also under the corporate-sponsored scholarship umbrella are awards supported by several foundations and individual donors who have established endowments with the merit scholarship program.

Most of the awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $1,000 to $10,000 per year.

Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000. Recipients can use their awards at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university of their choice.

Wednesday's announcement is the first group of winners in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

"Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors," officials said. "Corporate sponsors provide National Merit Scholarships for Finalists who are children of their employees, who are residents of communities the company serves, or who plan to pursue college majors or careers the sponsor wishes to encourage."

Funding for these National Merit Scholarships is provided by corporate organizations that represent nearly all sectors of American industry.

Sponsors from the business community have underwritten awards offered in all 70 competitions, expending or committing nearly $882 million to support the intellectual development of the nation’s scholastically talented youth.