Students from Timnath, Fort Collins earn National Merit Scholarships

Three students from Northern Colorado have earned college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships for the 2026 graduating class. Elinor Bickley, a recent Timnath High School graduate, received a scholarship from the University of Texas at Dallas to study microbiology and immunology. Misha M. Suthar, a Fossil Ridge High School graduate, was awarded a scholarship from Washington State University to pursue a degree in law. Asher French, a graduate of Ascent Classical Academy of Northern Colorado in Fort Collins, earned a scholarship from the University of Alabama to study aviation. The scholarships, valued between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years, are part of a program distributing nearly $24 million in funding to approximately 6,700 high school seniors nationwide. The awards are granted by colleges and universities to students who qualified as semifinalists based on their Preliminary SAT scores during junior year. Semifinalists must complete additional requirements, including a scholarship application, high school endorsement, and confirmatory SAT or ACT scores, to become finalists. Over 15,000 semifinalists applied, with around 7,500 receiving one of three scholarship types: corporate-sponsored, college-sponsored, or National Merit $2,500 Scholarships. The three students were among 32 recipients announced June 3, with further awards expected in July. The program, overseen by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, relies on donations from corporations, colleges, and universities. Three additional Fort Collins students—Katharine Glover, Lara M. Seager, and Nina E. Goodrich—earned $2,500 National Merit Scholarships in May.