TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -- Cody Locke of Boaz, a sophomore majoring in biology at The University of Alabama, has received the National Society of Collegiate Scholars Merit Award.

The Merit Award is given to an outstanding new member who embodies the three pillars upon which the NSCS was founded -- scholarship, leadership and service.

The Merit Award is a $1,000 grant given annually to 50 new members of NSCS chapters across the country.

The NSCS is a highly selective, national, nonprofit honors organization. Founded in 1994, NSCS recognizes first- and second-year undergraduate students who excel academically.

“NSCS provides the opportunity for students, like Cody, to be recognized for their outstanding academic accomplishments early in their college experience,” said Steve Loflin, NSCS executive director. “Not only has Cody achieved an impeccable academic record, but he has also accomplished some incredible things. Cody is an asset to his school and we are proud that he has chosen to be a member of the Society.”

Locke was also recognized in August when he received the Benjamin Cummings Biology Prize. The Cummings Prize is a $1,000 grant awarded to only four students nationally each year. The Benjamin Cummings Co., a division of Pearson Education and Addison-Wesley, publishes the general biology textbooks used at UA. Competition for the award was open to students of any institution where Benjamin Cummings biology texts are used; Pearson books reach more than 100 million people worldwide.