North Kingstown Senior Wins National Merit Scholarship

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A North Kingstown student is one of approximately 1,000 high school seniors nationwide who received a corporate-sponsored national merit scholarship this week, according to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Andrew Bard, a student at North Kingstown High School, was awarded a scholarship from General Dynamics, which has leading positions in business aviation, information systems, shipbuilding and marine systems, and land and amphibious combat. Bard plans to study mechanical engineering when he starts college in the fall.

This year's national merit scholarships were sponsored by about 140 corporations. Some provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000, but most are renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study with annual stipends that range from $1,000 to $10,000. Recipients can use the funding at any regionally accredited U.S. college or university.

"Scholars were selected from students who advanced to the Finalist level in the National Merit Scholarship competition and met criteria of their scholarship sponsors," said NMSC in a news release. "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."

By the end of the 2021 competition, approximately 7,500 finalists will have been selected to receive nearly $30 million in awards.