Two Additional Plano ISD Students Earn NMSC College-Sponsored Scholarships
![2026 additional college-sponsored merit scholarship winners]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1784050285/pisdedu/vhmpxfdyykmvbifhvuxc/NMSC2500Scholarship700x600px2.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1784050285/pisdedu/vhmpxfdyykmvbifhvuxc/NMSC2500Scholarship700x600px2.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1784050285/pisdedu/vhmpxfdyykmvbifhvuxc/NMSC2500Scholarship700x600px2.png","width":700}])
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the final group of winners in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program on July 13, 2026.
In June, 18 Plano ISD graduates were recognized as winners of the 2026 College-Sponsored Merit Scholarship. The latest announcement includes two additional graduates. This final group of winners includes more than 750 and brings the number of 2026 National Merit Scholars to about 6,500. These distinguished high school graduates will receive scholarships for undergraduate study worth nearly $24 million. In addition to college-sponsored awards, two other types of National Merit Scholarships were offered—2,500 National Merit $2500 Scholarships, for which all Finalists competed, and about 700 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who met criteria specified by their grantor organizations.
Plano ISD congratulates the following winners:
- Divya Arunkumar, Plano West Senior High School - University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship, Probable career field: Psychiatry
- Aliza Sheikh, Plano West Senior High School - University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship, Probable career field: Oncology