Originally published on finance.yahoo.com
Adam Ferrari has named Katherine Schoen, a senior at Alma College, as the winner of the 2021 Adam Ferrari Health Science Scholarship. The $1,000 award empowers students who wish to study health science at the collegiate level with the particular goal of providing better care for patients with physical disabilities.
"I'm excited to have chosen an individual with a deep passion for helping the physically disabled as she continues on her path in Health Science," Adam Ferrari said. "I know she will make great use of the money, and do amazing things for those in need throughout her career."
Selected from a large pool of dedicated applicants, Katherine Schoen demonstrated excellence in her field of study as she plans to continue her education at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, starting in the Fall of 2021. With dreams of becoming an occupational therapist, the $1,000 reward will help Schoen to pay off student loans and cover living expenses associated with student life.
Schoen has involved herself in a variety of pursuits to aid those with special needs. She has worked as a summer camp counselor at an Okemos Special Needs Day Camp, where she assisted kids and adults with disabilities to live life to their fullest extent. She also volunteered her time at Mary Free Bed Unit at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, MI, where she assisted in the rehabilitation of individuals while simultaneously helping them regain their independence.
"Thank you for awarding me this scholarship. This scholarship will help relieve the financial burden of the costs of graduate school. It also allows me to achieve my dreams of becoming an occupational therapist," stated Katherine.
In the future, Schoen aspires to be a dedicated, compassionate, and empathetic health professional that takes on many of the challenges facing the physically disabled community to date.
"Katherine has already shown that she is willing to go the extra mile for those who are most in need," Ferrari said. "I am hopeful that the scholarship will propel her in her pursuits to become an occupational therapist and change lives for the better."
The winner was selected based on a variety of criteria, including a minimum 3.5 GPA requirement, prior volunteer experience, and future career goals. Applicants were required to have already been accepted into an accredited college or university, as well as be pursuing a degree in the health science field. Applicants were also asked to submit an essay of 1,000 words detailing why pursuing a career providing care to patients with physical disabilities was appealing to them.
Applicants were due on January 15th, 2021, with Schoen named the winner after all proposals were thoroughly reviewed. Adam Ferrari plans to continue the scholarship in the coming years to continue to provide opportunities for college students dedicated to making an impact on those with physical disabilities.