A pair of Starkville High School students were among those recently named as 2010 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.
Jeffrey L. Jinkerson, 17, is undecided which college he”ll attend, but is “interested in religion, Spanish and physics.”
“I was kind of surprised that I was a semifinalist,” Jinkerson, the son of Perry and Sylvia Jinkerson, said. “I want to become a National Merit finalist, because however my dreams move me (the scholarship money will help.) The one school I”m looking at the most, it”s very possible I could get a very free ride there, if I become a finalist.”
Barunie Kim, 16, would like to attend either Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, or the University of Pennsylvania, where she plans to study sociology or history.
“I want to pursue sociology and study cultures overseas,” Kim, the daughter of Seong-Gon Kim and Jinwon Kim, explained.
“I feel really proud of my achievements, because I worked really hard and I”m really glad they”re recognizing me for this,” she said of being named a scholarship semifinalist. “And I feel honored that I get a national recognition. As of right now, I need as many scholarships as I can get for me to succeed in college, so I don”t have to work as much, so I can be a little more focused on my studies.
“I”m really glad I have the opportunity to win this scholarship, because I”d like to ease the burden off my parents and take on the responsibility myself,” she added. “And any scholarship, like the National Merit Scholarship, will be greatly appreciated.”
A Heritage Academy student in Columbus, Peggy E. Buckley, and a Starkville home-schooled student, Matthew S. Berk, also were named as semifinalists.
Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization operating without government assistance, announced about 16,000 semifinalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.
The high school seniors will compete for about 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, which will be offered next spring.
To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition; about 90 percent of the semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship.
In the spring of 2010, three types of National Merit Scholarship awards will be offered. Every finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships awarded on a state representational basis.
About 1,000 corporate-sponsored scholarships will be provided by about 270 corporation and business organizations and about 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance about 4,700 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
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