HOT SPRINGS -- Six Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts seniors have been awarded full-ride scholarships through the 2024 QuestBridge National College Match Program.

The students and universities they were matched with are:

Sarah Pham of Hot Springs, Massachusetts Institute of Technology;

Jaime Hernandez Perez of Decatur, Brown University;

Hailey Judkins of Benton, College of the Holy Cross;

Katherine Quintanilla of Nashville, University of Pennsylvania;

Ezekiel Summers of Paragould, Johns Hopkins University;

Plinio Tola of Little Rock, Wesleyan University.

"QuestBridge is a nonprofit organization that connects exceptional low-income youth with leading institutions of higher education," a news release said. "QuestBridge works with top universities across the country to offer four-year, full scholarships to deserving students who may otherwise be unable to afford to attend those institutions. The organization partnered this year with 52 colleges and universities to offer scholarships at institutions such as Duke University, Columbia University, Yale and others."

The scholarship covers the cost of attendance, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and travel expenses.

This year's recipients were chosen from more than 25,500 applicants, including 7,288 finalists, according to a QuestBridge release. From the finalists, 2,627 were matched with college partners.

"I don't think I have truly processed how much receiving the Match Scholarship means yet, but I am definitely grateful for it," said Hernandez Perez, who would like to study genomics through a concentration in biology, in the release.

Judkins plans to major in behavioral and cognitive psychology and work with adolescents, according to the release.

"I intend to focus my studies on mental disabilities and research the methods that are best for helping them overcome tendencies based on their behaviors. With roughly 500 students learning what I would be learning in some form or fashion, I knew that I would have a group of individuals to share my passion with," she said.