12 Bergen Students Win Corporate National Merit Scholarships

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — Twelve Bergen County high school students have won corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards, the first group of winners to be announced.

Other scholarship recipients will be announced later this year.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, according to the National Merit Scholarship Committee. The application must include information about the semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received.

A semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test.

The Bergen County winners announced last week are:

• Shivani Kathikeyan of Closter, whose probable career field is biomedical engineering. Kathikeyan won the PepsiCo Foundation Scholarship and attends Northern Valley Regional High School.
• Grace Eunhye Chu of Cresskill, whose probable career field is international business. Chu won the New York Life Family Scholarship and attends Bergen County Academies.
• Daniel C. Zhao of Harrington Park, whose probable career field is engineering. Zhao won the Pfizer Inc. Scholarship and attends Northern Valley Regional High School.
• Ishita Jain of Mahwah, whose probable career field is medicine. Jain won the National Merit Siemens Scholarship and attends Mahwah High School.
• Neha Vazarkar of Mahwah, whose probable career field is medicine. Vazarkar won the Broadridge Scholarship and attends Bergen County Academies.
• Sydney S. Wu of Montvale, whose probable career field is medicine. Wu won the Air Liquide America scholarship and attends Bergen County Academies.
• Sophia Giliani of Paramus, whose probable career field is finance. Giliani won the PWC Charitable Foundation Scholarship and attends Bergen County Academies.
• Alina Gu of Paramus, whose probable career field is biochemistry. Gu won the Pfizer Inc. Scholarship and attends Paramus High School.
• Krisha Anant of Ridgewood, whose probable career field is in science and research. Anant won the Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Scholarship and attends Ridgewood High School.
• Zoe N. Zachko of Tenafly, whose probable career field is engineering. Zachko won the New York Life Family Scholarship and attends Tenafly High School.
• Jacob Dul of Wallington, whose probable career field is medicine. Dul won the James E. Casey Scholarship and attends Bergen County Academies.
• Ashley J. Park of Wyckoff, whose probable career field is environmental policy. Park won the Colgate-Palmolive Company Scholarship and attends Bergen County Technical High School.

Starting this month, approximately 7,500 students will be notified that they have been chosen for a Merit Scholarship. Many will receive a $2,500 scholarship for college, but some may win an award from a company or from a particular college.