The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced about 1,700 additional winners of National Merit Scholarships financed by colleges and universities. These Merit Scholar designees join more than 2,200 other college-sponsored award recipients who were announced in late May. Receiving scholarships are Patrick Latimer of Fritz Creek and Evan Boyer of Homer, both Homer High School graduates. Latimer received a National Merit Scholarship to the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. He plans to study music composition. Boyer received a National Merit Scholarship to Claremont McKenna College, a member of the Claremont Colleges in Claremont, Calif. 

Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among the finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program who will attend their institution. College-sponsored awards provide between $500 and $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study at the institution financing the scholarship. This year, 183 colleges and universities are sponsoring about 3,900 Merit Scholarship awards. Sponsor colleges include 106 private and 77 public institutions located in 44 states and the District of Columbia.