Hamilton College President Joan Hinde Stewart has been elected to a three-year term on the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's board of directors.
The NMSC is a non-profit organization that fosters study at colleges and universities through scholarship programs for high-achieving high school students.
"We are delighted that President Stewart has been elected a member of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation's board of directors," said NMSC President Marianne C. Roderick. "Her commitment to academic excellence and the importance of recognizing scholastically talented students personify what NMSC is all about."
"I believe firmly in the mission of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation," said Stewart, "and I am honored to serve on its board of directors. America's academically outstanding students deserve the recognition and resources provided by the NMSC."
Top-scoring students on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test are designated "Commended Students" (typically those who score at the 96th percentile or above) or "Semifinalists" (those who represent less than 1 percent of the nation's high school seniors). Semifinalists then move to the Finalist level of the scholarship competition for consideration for Merit Scholarship awards.
Currently, approximately 41,000 NMSC scholarship recipients are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities. Since its founding in 1955, more than $1.065 billion in scholarship aid has been provided to approximately 282,000 students through programs administered by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Scholarships are financed by the NMSC's own funds, or by businesses, companies and colleges.
According to Marianne C. Roderick, president of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, "The goals of NMSC's competitions have remained constant -- to identify and honor exceptionally able U.S. high school students, to stimulate increased support for their education, and to provide efficient and effective scholarship program management for organizations that wish to sponsor college scholarships for talented youth."
