Senior Ben Bouvier is literally one in 1,000.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation awarded corporate-sponsored scholarships to 1,000 out of 15,000 National Merit finalists throughout April. NMSC selected Bouvier to receive a biochemistry scholarship from Lockheed Martin.

After taking the PSAT their junior year, Bouvier and other children of Lockheed Martin employees applied to the National Merit Lockheed Martin Academic Scholarship Program through the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

Because Bouvier scored among the highest in Maryland on the PSAT and met NMSC standards, NMSC selected him to receive a scholarship from Lockheed Martin along with 100 other applicants.

Bouvier and his parents were thrilled to learn that he was chosen to receive a scholarship from the company where his father works.

“It’s validation in their eyes, and mine, that all my hard work is paying off,” he
said.

Bouvier’s scholarship is similar to the regular $2,500 National Merit Scholarship. Bouvier will instead receive $3,000 a year from Lockheed Martin for each year in undergraduate school.

When selecting Bouvier for the scholarship, NMSC looked at his grades, test scores, recommendation letters, personal essay, leadership positions and extracurricular activities.

Bouvier has explored biochemistry both inside and outside of school by taking related classes and spending the past two summers assisting biochemical and cancer research at the National Institutes of Health. He is planning to return this summer to continue his work.

AP Chemistry and AP Biology have shaped his interest in biochemistry, Bouvier said.

“They mostly influenced my decision to pursue something like biochemistry,” he said. “I’m not really tied to biochemistry, but I definitely think it’s most likely my major.”

Bouvier recognizes how important this scholarship will be for his family as he attends Brown University next year.

“It was really awesome to get a scholarship based on my dad’s work and my own scholastic achievements,” Bouvier said. “It was fulfilling for everyone in my family.”