23 Coast students named National Merit Semifinalists
Twenty-three students from South Mississippi have been named National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
The list was released Wednesday.
The students are among 16,000 nationwide in the 70th annual scholarship program.
Students who were the highest-scoring in the state while taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test are named semifinalists.
To advance as a finalist, students — along with a school official — must submit a detailed application, have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s performance on the PSAT.
More than 15,000 are expected to advance to the finalist level and will be notified in February.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships are offered in the spring. There are $2,500 National Merit Scholarships, 770 corporate-sponsored scholarships and 3,600 college sponsored Merit Scholarship awards.
Students from South Mississippi who were named Merit Scholarship Semifinalists are:
St. Stanislaus College
- Samuel Favre
- Satvik Kompella
- David Williams
Biloxi High
- Thomas Mueller
- Gulfport High
- Cooper Bruni
- Carter Clay
- Marcus Joffrion
- Lauren Napier
- Jackson Pearce
- Elizabeth Wheeler
- Journey Williams
Harrison Central
- Konner Craven
West Harrison
- Joshua A. Bee
Hancock High
- Nicholas P. Pagano
Long Beach High
- Grace J. Lefort
- Justin A. Mares
- Aubrey K. Pingul
Ocean Springs High
- Lilah K. Dill
- Julia A. Philippoff
- Charles A. Smith
- Jovi C. Womble
Pass Christian High
- Anthony J. Cumbaa
- Mary M. Matthews
