Search

RARE Scholars Program

The RARE Scholars program is an annual scholarship opportunity for people living with a rare genetic condition, including achondroplasia, Batten disease, hemophilia A, mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) or phenylketonuria (PKU). These scholarships recognize and support students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and engagement in school and community activities.

The application period for the 2024-25 academic year is now closed. Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will be accepted beginning in early 2025.

Get to Know Our 2024-25 Scholarship Recipients

BioMarin RARE Scholar Allison Lowrie

Allison Lowrie Texas A&M University

Allison is studying Animal Science and expects to graduate in 2028. Despite her complicated relationship with protein as someone living with phenylketonuria, Allison plans to pursue a career in meat sciences. “What sparked the interest was taking part in Future Farmers of America through high school,” she says. “I met some great people there who were in the industry doing inspection or lab research, and I got to do a lot of behind-the-scenes things, dive deep into the actual career and do some internships.”

BioMarin RARE Scholar Allyson Chan

Allyson Chan Occidental College

Allyson is attending Occidental College in Los Angeles, where she’s studying sociology and politics, and plans to graduate in 2028. With an eye to the future, Allyson, who is living with mucopolysaccharidosis IVA, is already outlining her next academic challenge. “I really hope that in five years I’m in law school, on my way to becoming an attorney,” Allyson says. “I’ve thought about focusing on intellectual property, or possibly family law.”

BioMarin RARE Scholar Brian DuVal

Brian DuVal Vanderbilt University

Brian, who is pursuing a Master of Public Health from Vanderbilt, acknowledges that growing up with hemophilia A has shaped his educational and career paths. “I know that the hemophilia community needs leaders,” says Brian, who expects to complete his studies in 2026. “My goal is to have a role where I have influence over things that directly impact my health and the health of people I know. I feel a great deal of personal responsibility.”

BioMarin RARE Scholar Jiayi Yan

Jiayi Yan University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy

Jiayi plans to graduate as a Doctor of Pharmacy in the Spring of 2026 and says that growing up with achondroplasia has helped shaped his studies, and his future goals. “I just really want to dedicate myself to this field,” Jiayi says. “I want to advocate, share my voice and share my experience to make myself heard, and make sure other people are heard as well.”

Will McClintock University of Washington

Will, a sophomore at the University of Washington and a two-time RARE Scholars award recipient, is working on a double major in computer science and statistics. He’s also giving back to the phenylketonuria community. “This summer, I started volunteering at the Institute on Human Development and Disability (IHDD) at the University of Washington,” says Will, who was an IHDD client as a child. “The people there have known me my entire life. They took my blood samples when I was 2 years old, and I’ve been working with the IHDD to get lancet donations for blood draws for other children and families with PKU.”

In a way, a program like this makes me feel seen. There still isn’t that much awareness of genetic conditions, so for BioMarin to support our community in other ways beyond providing treatment is awesome and inspires me to do more.

– Sarah Cook, 2023-24 Scholarship Recipient

Scholarship Requirements

An annual scholarship opportunity for people living with a genetic condition for those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and engagement in school and community activities.

The RARE Scholars program will award up to $25,000 in scholarships to eligible students.

Eligibility