Press Release

ARLINGTON, VA, August 15, 2025 – The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarships, Schwallie Family Scholarships, and the Synchrony Scholarships for Autistic Students of Color. This year, these three scholarships attracted 1,150 applicants, and the awards total $204,000. At 68 total scholarships awarded, 2025 marks the highest number of scholarships we have awarded since the program began. Since 2007, OAR has provided 690 scholarships, maintaining its commitment to furthering the education of remarkable and determined autistic students. With these additional scholarships, OAR has awarded a total financial contribution of $2,013,000.

Each of the scholarships provides a one-time $3,000 award to students with autism diagnoses pursuing postsecondary education at a variety of institutions. This year, OAR is awarding 26 Schwallie Family Scholarships to students attending four-year and two-year colleges; 19 Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarships to students attending two-year colleges, life skills or postsecondary programs, or vocational, technical, or trade schools; and 23 Synchrony Scholarships for Autistic Students of Color to students of racial/ethnic minority backgrounds attending any form of postsecondary education. The recipients of these highly competitive scholarship awards are individuals who have demonstrated their ability to overcome personal challenges in pursuit of their educational ambitions.

“It is an honor to award the Hussman scholarship recipients this year. The winners are talented, hard working, and have overcome many obstacles in their journey,” says Lisa Hussman, president of the Lisa Higgins Hussman Foundation. “I wish them congratulations and continued success in the future.”

Cathy Schwallie, chair of the Schwallie Family Scholarships, stated: “The 2025 OAR Schwallie Scholarship applicants are a fantastic bunch. As always, it’s very challenging to tier up the winners. We did it because these winners did it. The Schwallie family truly loves supporting these outstanding thinkers on their college/university journeys.”

OAR also extends its gratitude to the Synchrony Foundation for their partnership in supporting the Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color since 2021.

Congratulations to this year’s scholarship recipients!

Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship 

• Zachary Bezerra, College of Charleston – Charleston, SC 
• Mateo Cordero, Clover Park Technical College – Lakewood, WA 
• Jack Dradzynski, Auburn University – Auburn, AL 
• Kees Driesen, Cleveland State University – Cleveland, OH 
• Rose Farra, The College of New Jersey – Ewing, NJ 
• Kenneth Hankins, Davidson-Davie Community College – Cincinnati, OH 
• McKayla Hasting, Ferris State University – Big Rapids, MI 
• Ransom McSunas, Minnesota State College Southeast – Red Wing, MN 
• Seth Milam, Arkansas State University – Jonesboro, AK 
• Nicholas Myers, West Chester University – West Chester, PA 
• Abigail Peigh, Kent State University – Kent, OH 
• Jake Reedy, Oklahoma State University – Stillwater, OK 
• Samuel Reynolds, Wake Technical Community College – Raleigh, NC 
• Ethan Tapia, University of Iowa REACH Program – Iowa City, IA 
• Emily Tullier, Tulsa Community College – Tulsa, OK 
• Mariah Whatley, Kennesaw State University – Kennesaw, GA 
• Kayden Worley, Davidson-Davie Community College – Thomasville, NC 
• Evan Yates, EMPOWER at University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, AK 
• Jacob Zerbini, Slippery Rock University – Slippery Rock, PA 

Schwallie Family Scholarship 

• Jack Bralley, University of Missouri – Columbia – Columbia, MO 
• Aidan Bokhari, Howard Community College – Columbia, MD 
• Caleb Carroll, Rice University – Houston, TX 
• Lance Chisolm, Lipscomb University – Franklin, TN 
• Timothy Chua, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Champaign, IL 
• Isabella Dulski, Brown University – Providence, RI 
• Alexander Galupo, Fordham University – Bronx, NY 
• Caleb Gonzalez, Massachusetts Institute of Technology of Technology – Cambridge, MA 
• Alexandra Hall, Mercyhurst University – Erie, PA 
• Peyton Hirschberg, Emory University – Atlanta, GA 
• Olivia Knestaut, Drexel University – Philadelphia, PA 
• Elektra Larson, Georgia Institute of Technology – Atlanta, GA 
• Nadia Londono, Illinois State University – Normal, IL 
• Austen Maybee, University of Colorado Boulder – Boulder, CO 
• Nathan McGee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Champaign, IL 
• Hannah Moore, Truman State University – Kirksville, MO 
• Maryn Moreau, Lewis & Clark College – Portland, OR 
• Emmet Morris, Ohio State University – Columbus, OH 
• James Nemitoff, Centenary University – Hackettstown, NJ 
• Ashten Nickerson, Oklahoma City Community College – Oklahoma City, OK 
• Isabella Picone, Savannah College of Art and Design – Savannah, GA 
• Bella Pulliam, California State University, Northridge – Northridge, CA 
• Chloe Sanders, Wichita State University – Wichita, KS 
• Izabella Schulte, Eastern Michigan University – Ypsilanti, MI  
• Ezra Thiel, University of Southern California – Los Angeles, CA 
• Logan Zizza, Millersville University – Millersville, PA  

Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color 

• William Arnold, University of Washington – Seattle, WA 
• Cameron Azar, Bridgewater College – Bridgewater, VA 
• Courtney Brookins, Oakland University – Rochester, MI 
• Adrian Clark, Linfield University – McMinville, OR 
• Chloe Hartlep, Amherst College – Amherst, MA 
• Adam Hossienzadeh, Shoreline Community College – Shoreline, WA 
• Houston Hunter, National Louis University – Chicago, IL 
• Dehkontee Jayee, Metropolitan State University – St. Paul, MN 
• Mikito Kanai, Ball State University – Muncie, IN 
• Tahqari Koonce, Purchase College – Purchase, NY 
• Rohan Kumar, University of California – Riverside – Riverside, CA 
• Manuel Martinez, California State University East Bay – Hayward, CA 
• Jacobi McQueen, Tallahassee State College – Tallahassee, FL 
• Zamorah Morton, The University of Texas at San Antonio – San Antonio, TX 
• Master Muhammad, Victor Valley College – Victorville, CA 
• Alina Sekai Nemarundwe, Northwood University – Midland, MI 
• Pranav Raghavendra, Georgia State University – Atlanta, GA 
• Isabelle Rivera, University of Maryland – College Park, MD 
• Amaya Sanovia, University of Colorado Boulder – Boulder, CO 
• Addisen Thomas, Southers Illinois University – Carbondale, IL 
• Christian Washington, Bowie State University – Bowie, MD 
• Breanna Williams, Spelman College – Atlanta, GA 
• Chloe Williams, New York University – New York, NY 

OAR congratulates each of the 68 recipients and extends its gratitude once again to the Lisa Higgins Hussman Foundation, the Schwallie Family Foundation, and the Synchrony Foundation. These scholarships would not be possible without their generous support.

OAR’s annual scholarship program helps autistic students pursue their educational goals. The next open application period will begin in December 2025. More information, including the link to the application portal once it opens, can be found on OAR’s Scholarship Page.

About OAR: The Organization for Autism Research (OAR) is a national non-profit organization formed and led by relatives of children and adults with autism. OAR is dedicated to promoting research that can be applied to help families, educators, caregivers, and individuals with autism find much-needed answers to their immediate and urgent questions. Learn more at www.researchautism.org.