Molalla, Oregon – November 25, 2025 – ChiroCongress Cares, during the ChiroCongress Convention in Boston, Massachusetts, proudly unveiled the recipient of the prestigious Legacy of Leadership Scholarship. This esteemed scholarship has been awarded to Ms. Ashari Smith, a dedicated student pursuing her chiropractic education at Life University. Ms. Smith was honored with a $5,000 scholarship and received an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the 2025 ChiroCongress Convention. The generous funding for this year’s Legacy of Leadership Scholarship was graciously provided by ChiroHealth USA and NCMIC.
In her own words, Smith expressed her gratitude, saying, “Receiving this scholarship means more to me than just financial support, it is a recognition of all the hard work, commitment, and sacrifices that I have made throughout my journey to becoming a chiropractor. It affirms my dedication to becoming a doctor who serves with excellence, integrity and compassion. I am very honored to receive this scholarship as it will help support me further in pursuing my education and passion for chiropractic without the burden of financial stress. This gives me the freedom to place my focus on growing as a clinician and serving my future patients with my undivided attention.”
In 2022, ChiroCongress Cares took a significant step by establishing the Legacy of Leadership fund, dedicated to raising and dispersing resources to support chiropractic students through scholarships. Each year, this scholarship will be named in honor of a prominent figure in the chiropractic profession, past or present. The 2025 scholarship has been named in memory of Dr. Chris Anderson, a leader in chiropractic whose legacy of kindness and dedication continues to shape the profession.
Dr. Don Cross, President of the ChiroCongress Cares Board, expressed the organization’s enthusiasm, stating, “It is with great joy that the ChiroCongress Board of Directors awards our third annual scholarship to Ms. Smith. The continuation of this scholarship program highlights our dedication to supporting future leaders of chiropractic. We look forward to providing scholarships to exemplary students like Ms. Smith in years to come.”
Aspiring chiropractic students are encouraged to submit their applications for the 2026 scholarship, named in honor of Dr. Ray Foxworth, in April of 2026, with a submission deadline of June 30, 2026. Notifications of the recipients will be sent out on or before September 15, 2026, and the award will be publicly announced during the ChiroCongress Convention in Louisville, KY, November 2026. For additional information and to contribute to future scholarships, please visit www.chirocongresscares.org.
About ChiroCongress Cares
Founded in 2020, ChiroCongress Cares is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Their purpose is to advance the chiropractic profession through leadership development, innovation, education, increasing organizational capacity, community outreach, and research.