PITTSBURGH, May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kennametal Foundation today announced five winners of its 2016 Kennametal Foundation Scholarship Program in partnership with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.  Each winner receives a $2,000 award renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study that they can use at any accredited U.S. college or university of their choice. 

"We extend our congratulations to these students and wish them continued success in their academic endeavors," said Kennametal President and CEO Ron De Feo.  "The Kennametal Foundation takes pride in making a difference in the communities where our team members work and live. This scholarship program is just one of many ways we support education globally and this year marks 30 years of providing scholarships to children of our U.S. team members."

In addition to receiving the Kennametal Foundation Scholarship, student Tingfeng Zuo was named as a National Merit Scholar joining the top 1% of more than 1.5 million students across the nation who entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program. This honor is among the highest recognitions for a high school student in the U.S.

2016 Kennametal Foundation Scholarship Winners

Tingfeng Zuo
Central Magnet School
Murfreesboro, TN
College Attending:                           Case Western Reserve University
Kennametal Employee/Parent:         Zuo Xuhui

Jenna N. Amodio
Southeast High School
Deerfield, OH
College Attending:                           Duquesne University
Kennametal Employee/Parent:         Peter Amodio 

Carissa N. Bartkowiak
Traverse City Central HS
Traverse City, MI
College Attending:                           University of Michigan
Kennametal Employee/Parent:         Carrie L. Bartkowiak

Lindsay R. Boelkens
Lake High School
Millburry, OH
College Attending:                           Bowling Green State University
Kennametal Employee/Parent:         Edward C. Boelkens

Nicholas J. Hanna
Greater Latrobe High School
Latrobe, PA
College Attending:                           University of Michigan
Kennametal Employee/Parent:         Hanna C. Jerome

The Kennametal Foundation partners with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to administer and review applications for the scholarship program.  Selections are evaluated on academic records, qualities of leadership, extracurricular activities, PSAT scores and school recommendations.  Established in 1955, the National Merit Scholarship is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance.  The majority of National Merit Scholarships offered each year are underwritten by some 500 independent corporate and college sponsors that support National Merit Scholarship Corporation's efforts to honor the nation's scholastic talent and encourage academic excellence at all levels of education.

At the forefront of advanced materials innovation for more than 75 years, Kennametal Inc. is a global industrial technology leader delivering productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day nearly 12,000 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated more than $2.6 billion in revenues in fiscal 2015. Learn more at www.kennametal.com.

SOURCE The Kennametal Foundation