SELECTION OF SCHOLARS.

SEC. 603. SELECTION OF SCHOLARS. (a) Selection Criteria for Initial Awards.— (1) Selection criteria.— The Director of the National Science Foundation shall develop and submit to the Secretary proposed criteria to be used in the selection of National Science Scholars for initial year awards under section 602(b)(1). Such criteria shall provide for the selection of such scholars on the basis of potential to successfully complete a postsecondary program in the physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, or engineering, and on the basis of motivation to pursue a career in such fields. In addition, consideration may be given to the financial need of the individual, and to promoting participation by minorities and individuals with disabilities. The Director shall determine the proposed criteria for measuring the potential and motivation of nominees. (2) Publication.— The Secretary and the Director shall agree to, and jointly publish in the Federal Register, appropriate selection criteria. (b) Selection Process for Initial Awards.— (1) Nominating committee.— Each State desiring to qualify its students for selection as a National Science Scholar shall establish a nominating committee. Such committee shall be appointed by the chief State school officer or by an existing grant agency or panel designated by such officer, and shall be approved by the Secretary. The nominating committee shall be a broad-based committee composed of educators, scientists, mathematicians, and engineers, who shall serve as volunteers without compensation. (2) Nominations.— The nominating committee in each State shall submit to the President the nominations of at least four individuals from each congressional district in the State, at least half of whom are female. Such selections shall be ranked in order of priority. (3) Selection.— The President, after consultation with the Secretary and the Director of the National Science Foundation, shall select two National Science Scholars for each academic year from each congressional district, at least one of whom shall be female. (4) Announcement and award of scholarships.— The selection process shall be completed, and the announcement of the selection of National Science Scholars shall be made by the President prior to January 1st of each fiscal year. The Secretary104 STAT. 2902 shall notify each Member of Congress of selections made from such Member’s district and State before the public announcement by the President. Presentation of scholarships may be made in a public ceremony. (5) Congressional district.— For purposes of this subsection, the term “congressional district” includes the part or all of a State (within the meaning of section 1201(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965) represented by a Member or Delegate of the House of Representatives, and includes the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. (c) Continuation Awards.— The Secretary shall award additional scholarships under section 602(b)(2) to recipients of initial awards under section 602(b)(1) who the Secretary determines meet the requirements of section 604(b). (d) Disbursal of Scholarship Proceeds.— Scholarship proceeds shall be disbursed on behalf of students who receive scholarships under this part to the institutions of higher education at which the students are enrolled. No scholarship proceeds shall be disbursed on behalf of a student until the student is enrolled at an institution of higher education. (e) Special Rule.— The Director and the Secretary shall encourage the support and assistance of civic groups, the business community, professional associations, institutions of higher education, and others in providing scholarship assistance to National Science Scholarship finalists.