27 Katy ISD Graduated Seniors Earned College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarships
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KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
June 11, 2026
By Natalie Cook Clark
The Class of 2026 have received their diplomas but that doesn’t stop us from still celebrating them. These students earned prestigious college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships.
Twenty-seven Katy ISD seniors have earned prestigious college-sponsored National Merit Scholarships, placing them among the nation’s most academically accomplished students and we wish them the best as they continue academic excellence.
The scholarship recipients represent six Katy ISD high schools – Cinco Ranch, Jordan, Katy, Seven Lakes, Taylor and Tompkins. The students were selected through the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program and will receive scholarships sponsored by the college or university of their choice.
“College-Sponsored National Merit Scholars exemplify academic excellence, perseverance and intellectual curiosity,” says Katy ISD Chief Academic Officer Christine Caskey. “Earning a scholarship of this caliber is an extraordinary achievement that reflects years of academic dedication. We are incredibly proud of these students and look forward to the impact they will make in college and beyond.”
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) selected recipients from among the program’s National Merit Finalists. Scholarship beneficiaries were chosen by the academic institutions they plan to attend.
This last academic year, over 100 Katy ISD seniors were named 2026 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists.From there, 6 students earned the prestigious National Merit Scholarship, outing themselves in the USA’s top 1 percent.
These 27 students earned National Merit Scholarships sponsored by specific colleges or universities.
Students entered the National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) as juniors. From more than 1.3 million entrants nationwide, fewer than one percent advanced to semifinalist standing. Finalists then completed a rigorous application process that included academic records, leadership experiences, extracurricular involvement, recommendations and standardized test scores.
Katy High School
Spencer T. Gernale- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Jordan High School
Rohan M. Kishore- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Christian L. Hough- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
George O. Rhoades- National Merit University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship
Cinco Ranch High School
Ivan La- National Merit University of Texas at Dallas Scholarship
Taylor High School
Joseph E. Cooper- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Sheryl T. Surawijaya- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Sophia Q Tang- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Tompkins High School
Ryan X. Du- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Joshua C. Joiner- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Abhinav Kanchupatla- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Ryan Lin- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Aahana Rao- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Faizan Zameer- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Seven Lakes High School
Autumn Brown- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Emmanuelle Y. Chern- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Saumya Milind Dharap- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Jerrett T. Hutto- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Rahid Ismail- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Maimunah Kausar- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Komal D. Maniar- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Terynce Nguyen- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
An Q. Truong- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Rohanna G. White- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Ken H. Woodward- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Erica C. Zhang- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Michelle L. Zhang- National Merit Texas A&M University Scholarship
Congratulations to these graduates!
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