MADISON – Students in Madison City Schools and local private schools are among recipients of corporate-sponsored funds in the 66th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

These students are in 2021’s first announcement of National Merit Scholars. Program officials will name additional recipients on May 12, along with winners of college-sponsored awards on June 2 and July 12.

Approximately 160 corporations, company foundations and other business organizations finance the scholarships:

* Caroline M. Bendickson – James Clemens High School. Probable career field is biochemistry. National Merit Leidos Inc. Scholarship.

Headquartered in Reston, Va., Leidos is a global science and technology solutions and services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil and health markets. The company’s 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers.

* Nolan J. Drummond – Bob Jones High School. Probable career field is mechanical engineering. National Merit Leidos Inc. Scholarship.

* Joshua Lin – Bob Jones.

* Devika Shankar – James Clemens. Probable career field is medicine. National Merit Bentley Systems Scholarship.

Bentley Systems Inc. is a global leader in providing architects, engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining infrastructure. Founded in 1984, Bentley has more than 3,000 colleagues in 50 countries.

* Duke D. Yeom – James Clemens. Probable career field is computer science. National Merit BASF Corporation Scholarship.

BASF Corporation, a Fortune 100 company, has a highly diversified product mix, including chemicals, colorants, automotive coatings, inks, plastics and pharmaceuticals.

Scholarships were issued to students in private schools nearby Madison:

* John Bennett Lange — Westminster Christian Academy. Probable career field is medicine. National Merit Truist Scholarship.

Based in Winston-Salem, N.C., Truist Financial Corporation operates banking offices in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Indiana, Florida and Washington D.C. Truist awards are offered to employees’ children.

* Noah E. Murphree – Westminster Christian Academy. Probable career field is engineering. National Merit Leidos Inc. Scholarship.

* Madison R. Taylor – Madison Academy. Probable career field is neuroscience. National Merit General Dynamics Corporation Scholarship.

Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., General Dynamics employs about 50,000 workers worldwide. The company has leading market positions in business aviation, information systems, shipbuilding and marine systems, and land and amphibious combat systems.

Most scholarships are renewable for four years of undergraduate study and provide annual stipends ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. Some awards provide a single payment between $2,500 and $5,000.

For more information, visit nationalmerit.org.