Aidan Higgins ’22 has achieved something few do.
He has been named a National Merit Scholarship Finalist.
The math says it all: The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began more than 75 years ago. About 1.5 million high school students enter the program each year. Of those only about 15,000 are named finalists. That represents 1 percent.
Of those 15,000 finalist, 7,500 will be named Merit Scholarship winners. Those winners will be named in April, May, June, and July.
Higgins is the editor-in-chief of The Kestrel, Xavier’s online newspaper. He is a member of the National Honor Society as well as four other honor societies and multiple clubs, including the Ryken Service Society.
Higgins helped start a chapter of the Surfrider Foundation at Xavier. That organization works to protect and preserve the world's oceans, waves, and beaches. The Xavier club has picked up hundreds of pounds of trash during various outings.
"Aidan is a remarkable student and a remarkable person," Principal Brendan Donohue said. "He is one of the most accomplished students I have ever known. Among his many gifts are his intellectual curiosity, his strong character, his care for the environment, and his superior writing ability.
"With a transcript reflecting a perfect GPA, 12 AP classes, and eight ECE classes, it comes as no surprise that Aidan has earned National Merit Finalist status. The Xavier community is very proud of him."
Higgins also was asked to contribute a student piece to the most recent alumni magazine now being printed. His closing paragraph: “Xavier gives students the moral compass, intellectual capacity, and communal support to go out in the real world and act like sincere, passionate, real men … real men like Christ.”