FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tampa, Fl. (June 3, 2026) –Forty-four Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) seniors have been named 2026 College‑Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners, earning national recognition for their academic achievement and future promise, according to an announcement released today by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®).
Selected from a nationwide pool of high-achieving students, National Merit Scholars represent the top tier of graduating seniors across the country. The selection process includes outstanding academic records, high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT, strong SAT or ACT performance, extracurricular involvement, and a rigorous application review.
National Merit Scholarships are awarded by the NMSC® and sponsoring colleges and universities, providing financial support for undergraduate study while recognizing exceptional academic achievement. The college-sponsored recipients announced today are part of approximately 6,700 students nationwide who will receive National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $24 million.
“We are incredibly proud of our students for earning this well-deserved national recognition,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “Their success reflects not only their hard work and determination, but also the strength of the rigorous academic programs across Hillsborough County Public Schools. These programs are designed to challenge students, expand opportunities, and prepare them for success in college, careers and life.”
The HCPS 2026 College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners are:
Alonso High School
Brad A. Beenhakker
National Merit University of Central Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Shreeya D. Patel
National Merit Florida State University Scholarship
Probable career field: Actuarial Science
Bloomingdale High School
Nathan B. Simoneau
National Merit University of Central Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Gaither High School
Samuel M. Fernandez
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
King High School
Lillian N. Clark
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Biochemical Engineering
Ajay Kartheek Cherukumilli
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Finance
Leto High School
Luis E. Lopez Rondon
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Electrical Engineering
Middleton High School
Easton I. Hardy
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering
Srijan R. Kumbam
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering
Ritvik Talwani
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Newsome High School
Kaitlin Michelle McClellan
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering
Plant High School
Sophie A. Girenkova
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Banking
Lindsay A. Paulson
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Academia
Quinn J. Rukholm
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Economics
Ryan A. Setzer
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Samuel C. Willoughby
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Nuclear Engineering
Riverview High School
Eduardo J. Orrego
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Robinson High School
William H. Kim
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Sickles High School
Michael J. Quick
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
Hillsborough High School
Lyna Tran
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Mechanical Engineering
Steinbrenner High School
Hannah J. Luikart
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Applied Mathematics
Elain Rose Roji
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Biomedicine
Raghav Sharma
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
Strawberry Crest High School
Anu Badiger
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Ayona Bagui
National Merit Emory University Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Sneha Balaji
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Economics
Varun M. Gajjar
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Gaurav Jain
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Engineering
Mahee Gupta
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Priyanshu Jha
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Aerospace Engineering
Hyunmin S. Kim
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Information Technology
Andrew M. Oh
National Merit Washington and Lee University Scholarship
Probable career field: Law
Sayali S. Padhye
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Biomedicine
Radha Panchal
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Psychology
Adwaith Praveen
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Shruti R. Shankar
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Ecology
Bhavya H. Talati
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Finance
Sahasra Vedhere
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Law
Alexander Y. Wang
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Sujay Rajesh
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
Arun Prem Gottipati
National Merit University of South Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Ashank K. Saravanan
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Investment Banking
Eesha L. Venkatesh
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Medicine
Wharton High School
Vy Tuong Doan
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Education
This year, 138 higher education institutions are sponsoring Merit Scholarship awards through the National Merit Scholarship Program, including 69 private and 69 public colleges and universities in 42 states and the District of Columbia.