Adam Ferrari, founder of the Adam Ferrari Health Science Scholarship, is honored to announce Chrislaina Anderson as the 2025 recipient. The yearly $20,000 scholarship program empowers students pursuing health science and related fields to provide better care for patients with physical disabilities.

For Chrislaina, the pursuit of bioengineering is both academic and personal. She witnessed her father and aunt struggle with neuropathy during her childhood, an experience that revealed how disability affects not only mobility but also independence. Those moments shaped her desire to design medical devices and rehabilitation therapies that restore function and help patients reclaim their lives.

This fall, Chrislaina begins her studies in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley, where she plans to research adaptive medical devices and pursue a career as a physician-scientist specializing in rehabilitation medicine. Her long-term goals include blending patient care with biomedical research and ensuring that new technologies are designed with empathy and an understanding of patient needs.

“Winning this scholarship is more than financial aid—it shows that people believe in me and my dreams,” Chrislaina shared. “When I found out I was selected, I was ecstatic. I immediately started yelling for my family to let them know the good news. This scholarship allows me to pursue a B.S. in Bioengineering at UC Berkeley, where I will have amazing opportunities to research medical devices and healthcare technologies. Someone having confidence in me is priceless, and I am blessed to have this scholarship. I would like to thank everyone who made it possible.”

Anderson graduated valedictorian with 129 college credits and earned an Associate’s Degree in Mathematics and Sciences at age 15. She co-founded Hands Across Horizons, a nonprofit that provides educational resources to underserved students and survivors of human trafficking, and created Hands on Music, a free program that adapts musical instruction for Title I students with fine motor challenges. In addition, she has served as class president, drum major, and tutor in more than 20 college-level subjects.

Adam Ferrari, CEO of Phoenix Energy and founder of the Adam Ferrari Health Science Scholarship, commended her vision: “Chrislaina’s academic accomplishments are extraordinary, but it is her empathy and mission to design healthcare solutions that truly stand out. Her work reflects the values that inspired this scholarship and carries forward the spirit of resilience and compassion shaped by my father’s experience.”

Now in its fifth year, the Adam Ferrari Health Science Scholarship continues to support exceptional students who blend academic excellence with a passion for improving care for people with physical disabilities. The Ferrari Foundation congratulates Chrislaina Anderson and looks forward to her impactful journey in healthcare.