Matthew Travers '26 Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist

Nichols senior Matthew Travers '26 was named a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist this week. Travers was one of approximately 16,000 students nationwide to receive this designation, representing less than one percent of the total graduating seniors in the country. 

The National Merit Scholarship Program is a U.S. academic scholarship competition that began in 1955, offering recognition and university scholarships. A number of universities reserve or guarantee additional merit-based funding for students who are National Merit Scholars.

After being named a semifinalist, Travers will be eligible to advance to the Finalist level of the competition, before being considered for a National Merit Scholarship. Approximately 6,930 National Merit Scholarships, worth nearly $26 million, will be offered to graduating seniors this spring. 

"I've been putting in a lot of hard work for college applications in general, and a lot of that work has lined up with the National Merit Scholarship Program," Travers said. "Any scholarship I can obtain is obviously a great help as I prepare for college." 

While Travers has been narrowing down the schools to which he's applying throughout the fall, he intends to major in business at his eventual school of matriculation.