26 Students Earn A. O. Smith Corp. Merit Scholarships

A total of 26 students from the U.S. China, Mexico, the Netherlands, and Turkey have earned 2016 merit scholarships awarded by A. O. Smith Corporation.

The recipients, sons or daughters of A. O. Smith Corp. employees, were selected based on their academic record, participation in school and community activities, work experience, and honors.

The 2016 recipients are:

• Moises Armando Barraza Aguirre, the son of Moises Barraza Nevarez and Maria Isabel Aguirre Carvantez of Juarez, Mexico.  Moises will be a fourth-year student at the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez;
• Kirsten Campbell, the daughter of Bill and Amy Campbell of Portland, Tenn.  Kirsten is a first-year student at Kettering College, Kettering, Ohio;
• Luis Fernando Segouia Castillo, the son of Gregorio Segovia Diaz and Aracely Castillo Chavez of Juarez, Mexico.  Luis is a first-year student at the Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez;
• Rafael R Robles Coraza, the son of Roberto Robles Garcia and Silvia Coraza Cruz of Juarez, Mexico.  Rafael will be a second-year student at the Universidad Tecnologica de Ciudad Juarez;
• Duan Wanrong, the son of Duan Yijie and Zha Lixian of Nanjing, China.  Wanrong is a fourth-year student at the North China University of Technology in Beijing;
• Rachel Guidinger, the daughter of Joseph and Carla Guidinger of Hartland, Wis.  Rachel will be a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison;
• William Guisinger, the son of Jeff Guisinger and Sharon Way.  William is a freshman at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky.;
• Timothy Harris, the son of Aubrey Harris and Priscilla Johnson.  Timothy is a sophomore at Northern Michigan University, Marquette, Mich.;
• Amy Jacobs, the daughter of William and Donna Jacobs.  Amy is a freshman at the University of Tennessee-Martin;
• Iren Karaceniz, the daughter of Erol Karadeniz and Aylin ?en of Istanbul, Turkey.  Iren will be a second-year student at Plato MYO Istanbul in Yenibosna;
• Katya Podkovyroff Lewis, the daughter of Frankie Lewis and Dora Podkovyroff-Lewis of Clarksville, Tenn.  Katya is a first-year student at American University, Washington, D.C.;
• Emma Menzel, the daughter of Don and Lori Menzel of Kewaskum, Wis.  Emma will be a sophomore at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.;
• Joseph Mitchell, the son of Daniel and Melissa Mitchell of Hendersonville, Tenn.  Joseph is a freshman at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah;
• Megan Orme, the daughter of Karl and Ronda Orme of Lebanon, Tenn.  Megan is a freshman at Utah Valley University, Provo, Utah;
• Osvaldo Gallegas Ruvalcaba, the son of Juan Francisco Gallegas Castañeda and Sonia Ruvalcaba Madrid of Juarez, Mexico.  Osvaldo will be third-year student at the Universidad Tecnologica de Ciudad Juarez;
• MacKenzie Schaffner, the daughter of John and Amy Schaffner of Roan Mountain, Tenn.  MacKenzie will be a sophomore at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City;
• Ryan Sieth, the son of Ken and Cherie Sieth of Hartland, Wis.  Ryan will be a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison;
• Jamaria Southward, the daughter of Anthony and Carla Southward of Springfield, Tenn.  Jamaria is a freshman at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.;
• Jacob Taylor, the son of James and Lisa Tayloer of Brookfield, Wis.  Jacob will be a freshman at the University of Minnesota:  Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minn.;
• Hunter Vaughn, the son of Arnold and Anna Vaughn of Huber Heights, Ohio.  Hunter will be a freshman at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio;
• Esmee Verkooljen, the daughter of Ilona Sanders of Eindhoven, the Netherlands.  She will be a first-year student at Hoge Agrarische, Den Basch;
• Wang SaiSai, the daughter of Wang Xueliang and Zhang Hengmei of Nanjing.  SaiSai is a second-year student at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China;
• Wang Shuyan, the son of Wang Cheng and Cau Huajing of Nanjing.  Shuyan is a first-year student at Northwestern  University in Evanston, Ill.;
• Shannon Wright, the daughter of Bud and Susan Wright of Lafayette, Tenn.  Shannon is a senior at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green;
• Yang Qingrong, the son of Yang Yuanpeng and Zhang Chunteng of Nanjing.  Qingrong is a second-year student at Longyan University, Longyan City, China;
• Zhao Huiyan, the daughter of Zhao Zhong and Zhang Xiaoping of Nanjing.  Huiyan is a third-year student at Nanjing University HND Center.

The A. O. Smith Merit Scholarship program is open to the children of employees in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, China, and India. To be considered, the student must be a graduating high school senior or currently enrolled in an undergraduate college or vocational school degree program. Scholarships help cover a portion of the tuition costs at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university, or vocational technical school of the student's choice.

The company awards scholarships annually, which may be renewed for up to three additional years or until the recipient earns a bachelor's degree. The A. O. Smith Scholarship program is administered by Scholarship Management Services, a program of ScholarshipAmerica of St. Peter, Minn.