20 JULY 2025 By Mallory Gleich Seven students from Arcadia, Brophy and Xavier have received well-deserved recognition as finalists for the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship. The award was created in 1955 and highlights academically talented students and their accomplishments. Over 1.3 million high school students enter the program each year and 50,000 high schoolers qualify for recognition, of which approximately 16,000 are designated semifinalists. From that group, 15,000 met the very high academic standards and other requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition, which included writing an essay, providing information about extracurricular activities, awards, and leadership positions, having an outstanding academic record, and being endorsed and recommended by a high school official. From this group, approximately 7,000 win Merit Scholarship awards. The amounts vary and there are three types awarded: 2,500 National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, 830 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships, and 3,600 college- sponsored Merit Scholarships, worth a total value around $26 million. “National Merit Scholarship Corporation is very proud to honor the academic accomplishments of these scholars, and we look forward to seeing what their futures hold,” Director of Public Information Matthew G. Budreau said. Let’s meet the Arcadia area winners [ except Blake Mahoney, who was out of town at press time ]!  Victoria Bourgeois-Conti said she is elated to be attending Fordham University on a full tuition scholarship in the fall. She was accepted into the Honors Program at the Lincoln Center campus, and hopes to double major in mathematics and dance with a minor in psychology. Victoria mentioned that Fordham emphasizes giving back to the community, and she hopes to engage in meaningful service during her time in New York. “I don’t have any definitive plans for after college, but I am very excited to explore the dance and arts opportunities in NYC, as I have been fortunate to take classes at Dance Theater West since fifth grade and I am in my sixth year in the Story Book Ballet Company,” she said.  Santiago Paul is an incoming student at Williams College, where he plans to study economics and philosophy. Throughout high school, he was involved in speech and debate, music, and soccer – activities he hopes to continue during college. After completing his undergraduate, Santiago will attend law school and pursue a career as a lawyer. “Winning the National Merit Scholarship was a wonderful surprise for me. I can remember being pretty shocked and excited to open the email containing the news,” Santiago said. “The scholarship will be a great resource to assist in keeping the cost of my undergraduate education low, allowing me to pursue my academic and personal goals with some added certainty.” Naren Gudavalli will be attending Dartmouth College and majoring in economics. He hopes to pursue a career in either finance or law. An avid tennis player at Brophy, Naren looks forward to continuing on Dartmouth’s club team. He expressed surprise and excitement at being named a National Merit Scholar, recognizing how competitive the transition from finalist to recipient can be. West Walker said he was shocked when he received news of his National Merit Finalist Scholarship. He will be starting at Vanderbilt University in the fall and plans on majoring in engineering. West plans to put the $2,500 scholarship toward tuition. In his free time, he enjoys surfing and sailing during the summers he spends in New Jersey. Timothy Jiang will be majoring in economics at Princeton University. He described the National Merit journey as incredibly exciting and was ecstatic to be selected for the scholarship. After college, he hopes to work in the financial sector. Timothy plans to use the award to help pay for his undergraduate tuition and is looking forward to meeting new friends in the fall.  Mahima Sanghera will be on the pre- med track at Johns Hopkins University. She is currently interested in becoming a psychiatrist and conducting research in pharmacology, though she remains open to exploring other medical fields. Mahima said she developed a strong passion for research during debate and is confident she will continue on that path. “I was ecstatic to learn I have the National Merit Foundation’s support in attending America’s first and top research university,” Mahima said. “The hours I spent studying for the PSAT most definitely set a precedent of genuine work ethic and supported me years later!” nationalmerit.org From 15,000 to 2,500 to 7: Meet this year’s Merit Scholars Victoria Bourgeois-Conti Santiago Paul Naren Gudavalli West Walker Timothy Jiang Mahima Sanghera Blake Mahoney