LATROBE, Pa., May 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kennametal Foundation today announced five winners of its 2014 Kennametal Foundation Scholarships. Each winner receives $2,000 award renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study that they can use at any accredited U.S. college or university they choose. 

"We are pleased to offer scholarships to these capable students, and wish them continued success in their academic careers," said Kennametal Chairman, President and CEO Carlos Cardoso. "We have proudly offered scholarships to children of U.S. employees for 29 years, and it is just one of the many ways we support education. Globally, our foundation provides scholarship grants and funding to support technical education across a network of institutions in disciplines of material science, engineering and business. These investments are vital to the future of manufacturing, and they demonstrate our corporate culture and commitment as a choice employer."

The Kennametal Foundation partners with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation to administer and review application for the 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.