Trio Of Local Students Awarded National Merit Scholarships

WINNETKA, IL — A trio of New Trier Township residents who have recently graduated from local high schools were among this year's first group of winners of college-sponsored scholarships from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Morgan C. Baskfield, of Winnetka, was awarded a scholarship to Vanderbilt University, a private university in Nashville, Tennessee. The Loyola Academy graduate plans to pursue a career in business.

Peyton E. Hudson, of Wilmette, was also awarded a National Merit scholarship to Vanderbilt University. The North Shore Country Day School graduate has a probable career field of mathematics.

Ryan N. Wu, of Wilmette, was awarded a scholarship to the University of Texas at Dallas, a public research university. The New Trier High School graduate plans to pursue a career in computer science.

According to the Evanston-based nonprofit, 155 higher education institutions — 82 private and 73 public — are covering the cost of about 4,000 college-sponsored scholarships this year.

The scholarships cover between $500 and $2,000 a year for up to four years of undergraduate study at the sponsoring school.

National Merit representatives released the names of more than 2,600 of them Wednesday, and the rest will be revealed on July 11.

Once complete, the nonprofit will have awarded about $28 million in scholarships to about 7,500 incoming college students.

Winners are selected based on results from the preliminary SAT and students' roles in activities inside and outside of school, an essay and a recommendation from a high school official.

Last fall, 21 seniors at New Trier High School, six from Loyola Academy and three from North Shore County Day were named National Merit semifinalists.

In April, a Wilmette resident attending New Trier was awarded a National Merit scholarship sponsored by Old National Bancorp.

Then, last month, five seniors from New Trier High School and two members of Loyola Academy's class of 2022 were awarded $2,500 cash scholarships disbursed from National Merit's own funds.