Two SHHS Seniors Named Corporate-Sponsored Merit Scholarship Winners

April 19, 2017 -- Shaker Heights High School Seniors Karissa Huang and Nicholas Masso have been named winners of corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship awards, which are financed by approximately 200 corporations, company foundations, and other business organizations. 

Huang will receive her award from the PPG Foundation. Masso will receive his award from Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.

Huang and Masso are among more than 1,000 distinguished high school seniors from across the country who have won a corporate-sponsored award. They were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors. 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. 

Most of these awards are renewable for up to four years of college undergraduate study and provide annual stipends that range from $500 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. 

The corporate-sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners are the first group of finalists to receive awards from the National Merit Scholarship Program. Winners of the National Merit $2,500 Scholarships will be announced on May 10. Winners of college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be announced on June 7 and July 17.