2026-2027 RECIPIENTS

Ethan Ahrendt
Doctor of Pharmacy
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“The UWRA scholarship has provided meaningful support during a year when my clinical rotations limit the time I can devote to working. Because of this support, I’ve been able to stay focused on my training and on providing the best care I can to my patients as I prepare to begin my career in pharmacy.”

Dani Dinlocker-Santiago
Master’s in Health Administration
Charles Chamberlin UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“Receiving this award means a great deal to me, as it assists me in completing my Master of Healthcare Administration degree. I have a strong passion for advocating for older adults and improving the systems that care for them. This support not only helps me finish my degree but also reinforces my dedication to building a career focused on ensuring older adults are treated with dignity, compassion, and the highest quality of care.”

Augusto Ferraris
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“Receiving the UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging is an immense honor. The fellowship will give me the protected time I need to generate rigorous evidence that improves medication prescribing patterns in older adults and promotes healthy aging across populations.”

Xinmei Huang
Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Health Sciences
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“I am deeply grateful to receive the UWRA Fellowship, which provides valuable support for my research on environmental exposures, neurocognitive aging, and dementia. This award will allow me to dedicate more time and energy to advancing my dissertation work and developing as an independent researcher. I am also excited for the opportunity to connect with and learn from the UWRA community.”

Crystal Shen
Undergraduate, Informatics
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“The support of the UWRA Scholarship allows me to focus more fully on my studies and the continued development of my projects. Receiving this award highlights the importance of designing with a wide range of experiences and needs in mind, reminding me that thoughtful, accessible design begins by including those who are often overlooked. It strengthens my commitment to creating technology that is intuitive, inclusive, and supportive across generations. I am truly grateful for UWRA’s support and for the opportunities it creates for both myself and the broader community of recipients.”

Reyna Smith
Master’s in Medical Speech-Language Pathology
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“I am incredibly grateful to have been awarded this scholarship. It has not only significantly eased my financial burden but also allowed me to fully focus on finishing my master’s degree strong. As the first person in my family to reach this level of education, this achievement is especially meaningful to me. It is truly an honor to pursue it with the support of the UWRA committee.”

Van Tran
Doctor of Nursing Practice/Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
UWRA-Era Living Scholarship in Aging
“As a Doctor of Nursing Practice student, I am committed to improving care for adults and older adults with complex and serious illnesses. Your support not only eases the financial burden of my education but also affirms the importance of this work. It motivates me to continue advocating for patients, supporting families, and contributing to more compassionate and equitable healthcare systems. I am deeply grateful for your generosity and for investing in students like me. I hope to carry this support forward in my future practice and give back to the community in meaningful ways.”

Hongyu Yu
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“This award eases my financial burden and allows me to devote more focused time to my dissertation and advanced training at a pivotal stage of my PhD. It also helps me continue the aging-related research and community work that matter deeply to me, including projects focused on cardiometabolic health, cognitive health, and care for older adults. I am especially grateful that this support recognizes not only my academic goals, but also my long-term commitment to improving the lives of older adults through both research and service.”

2025-2026 RECIPIENTS

Sean Carrick
Undergraduate, Nursing
UWRA-Era Living Scholarship in Aging
“The generous support of the UWRA Scholarship not only alleviates my financial needs but also reinforces my commitment to making a meaningful impact in the lives of older adults. I am enthusiastic to further enhance my skills and understanding as I pursue my passion for improving geriatric care.”

Elyse Christensen
Doctoral Student in Molecular & Cellular Biology
UWRA Fellowship in Aging
“Receiving this award is an incredible honor. It has given me the freedom to focus on my research, studying the underlying causes of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.”

Norma De Leon
Master’s in Nursing, UW Bothell
UWRA Fellowship in Aging
“From a formative early research assistant position to a graduate level study design, with basic science research, direct patient care, and a professional research role in between, I hope I have demonstrated my commitment to advancing research in fields concerning older adults. Thank you for the financial support to pursue my Master of Nursing degree while achieving advances and improvement in stroke care for the aging Seattle community!”

Taylor Hazan
Master’s in Library and Information Science
Charles Chamberlin UWRA Scholar in Aging
“Because of your support, I was able to complete my master’s degree in library and information sciences, where I have focused on community engagement and outreach. It also gave me the flexibility to take a course called Black Information Futures, where we developed our understanding of structural racism and injustice against Black communities through an information lens and explored what we can do to build a more just future.”

Blake Matthews
Master’s in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice, School of Public Health
UWRA Scholar in Aging
“As a graduate with a master of public health, I’m committed to advancing community-first models of care that uplift dignity, autonomy, and connection for older adults. This award allowed me to take classes on public policy that I would have never been able to afford. I plan to use my passion and education to develop policies and programs that center the needs of our homebound and underserved elders. I will always appreciate the support of UWRA.”

Madison McKee
Undergraduate, Nursing
UWRA Scholar in Aging
“The UWRA scholarship has been an incredible support in my journey to becoming a community-serving nurse. It has given me the time and flexibility to focus on my nursing education, even while managing demanding 12-hour clinical shifts. It has also allowed me to explore my passion for nursing research, deepening my understanding of patient care. I’m truly grateful for this support and all it has made possible.”

Nghi Nguyen
Doctoral Student in Pharmacy (Plein Certificate Program)
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“My goal as a future geriatric pharmacist is to go beyond the role of a “medication expert” and truly see the patients I am caring for and their individual needs. I am immensely grateful for the UWRA scholarship for supporting me in achieving my goals.”

Tamar Nir
Doctoral Student in Speech & Hearing Sciences
UWRA Fellowship in Aging
“I am so grateful to the UWRA, as their award has helped tremendously in supporting my dissertation on cognitive disorders across populations. Receiving this award meant I could focus fully on my research efforts. Additionally, this award has provided me with a fantastic new community of fellow academics and researchers!”

2024-2025 RECIPIENTS

Ellie Anderson
Master of Landscape Architecture
UWRA Charles Chamberlin Scholarship in Aging
“The UWRA-Charles Chamberlin Scholarship in Aging will support my research and study of built environment design for dementia, including dementia villages.”

Heather Calderwood
MEDEX Physician Assistant Program
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“The UWRA scholarship will help lower my financial aid burden coming out of Physician Assistant school. This will aid in the focus on meeting the needs of my patients.”

I-Ling Chen, MD
Master of Public Health – Public Health Genetics
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“This fellowship has greatly boosted my confidence in advancing research with older adults. As an MPH student specializing in public health genetics and a family physician from Taiwan, I cannot wait to apply my skill sets to understand genetic factors related to dementia and to promote healthy aging.”

Almeda (Ally) Jones
Master’s in Social Work
UWRA-University House Scholarship in Aging
“I aim to provide assistance and patient navigation services to the elderly population. Upon graduation, I intend to work with diverse communities and practice social work in hospice/palliative care. The UWRA scholarship will help me continue my education, allowing me to focus on research related to aging or providing services to older adults.”

Brittany Jones
Doctoral Student in Social Welfare & Graduate Certificate in Demographic Methods
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“The UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging will provide me with protected time to begin my dissertation research. I will also be a new mother next year, and having time I can dedicate to my research goals will be precious. This opportunity will move me closer to a research career focused on interventions for older adults without care partners.”

Sumaya Uthmann
Undergraduate, Nursing
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“Receiving this scholarship will facilitate my journey towards becoming a gerontological nurse by removing financial barriers. With this support, I can focus entirely on specialized training and practical experiences, ensuring my readiness to provide exceptional care to older adults.”

Chhy Chhy Yeak
Undergraduate, Biology and Philosophy
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“This scholarship has opened up more opportunities for me to focus on my research, studies, and hobbies rather than worrying about tuition and housing. I am immensely grateful and excited to continue working with older adults because I believe that they are the leaders who can guide the younger generations toward a better and brighter future.”

2023-24 RECIPIENTS

Cait Brown
Doctoral Student in Rehabilitation Medicine
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“This fellowship will support my dissertation project, providing me precious time to focus solely on my research, and to expand my recruitment and improve the quality of my data analysis.”

Amanda Cotarelo Cardenas
Doctor of Nursing Practice
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“I hope to make a meaningful contribution to the field of geriatric care and improve the quality of life for older adults using a model of home health care that maximizes nurse practitioners’ capabilities in delivering comprehensive care to older adults. Receiving this scholarship enables me to pursue my passion for geriatric care and achieve my educational and career goals.”

Kibrom Feleke
Undergraduate, Nursing Science
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“Tuition fees for our nursing program are expensive and I have had to take significant loans for the program. This scholarship helps me reduce my financial burden and helps lower my student loan debt. Your investment in first-generation students like me changes lives beyond what you can imagine.”

Onna Jaeger
Master of Social Work
UWRA Charles Chamberlin Scholarship in Aging
“My career goal as a hospice social worker is to provide equitable, accessible, and culturally relevant care to older adults who are reaching the end of life. This scholarship will support me in paying off substantial graduate school loans and allow me to pursue further training in end-of-life work and horticultural therapy for older adults.”

Emilie Martel-Rousseau
Doctor of Nursing Practice
UWRA-University House Scholarship in Aging
“Recognition through this scholarship validates my confidence in my potential to become a gerontologic primary care provider and encourages me to continue my pursuit. The financial assistance provided by this scholarship will permit me more flexibility when I seek employment after graduation, such as a rural setting where compensation is often lower.”

Natalie Turner
Doctoral student in Social Work
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“This fellowship will help fund my research, which examines cross-state differences in 1915(c) Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver programs that allow consumer direction for older adults, with particular focus on racial and geographic inequities in HCBS.”

Xingyu (Maggie) Zhou
Doctor of Nursing Practice
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“This scholarship will allow me to focus on my coursework and practical training as well as dedicate more time to my thesis project, which involves improving patient quality of life in nursing homes through enhanced communication and responsiveness between patients, staff, and family members.”

2022-23 RECIPIENTS

Mayaka ‘Maya’ Barton
Second-year Medical SLP, Speech and Hearing Sciences
UWRA Charles Chamberlin Scholarship in Aging
“I am deeply grateful for this scholarship, which will support me as I complete my master’s degree in medical speech language pathology and pursue a career as an SLP working with adults.”

Anna Campbell
MSW, School of Social Work
UWRA–University House Scholarship in Aging
“This scholarship has allowed me to practice hospice social work and to focus on my research in dementia care in palliative care and hospice. This experience has opened doors for me to join the geriatric mental health field.”

Amber McDowell-Reese
MSW, School of Social Work
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“UWRA’s financial support has truly made a difference in my ability to show up successfully as both a mother and student, without sacrificing my success in either role. I look forward to ensuring that equitable, trauma-informed and supportive services are provided to older adults.”

Athalie Miller
Second-year DNP, School of Nursing
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“The UWRA Scholarship in Aging has allowed me to reduce my work hours and focus on my courses while still supporting my family. I look forward to giving back to our community in the future as a Nurse Practitioner.”

Dale Summers
Fourth-year PhD, Speech and Hearing Sciences
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“I am incredibly grateful for this fellowship, as it provides dedicated time to focus on my research on clinical treatment tools for people with dementia.”

Jennifer ‘Niffer’ Supowit
Third-year PhD, Rehabilitation Medicine
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“The UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging will help me by providing protected time to begin my dissertation research to better understand balance and walking impairments in people with Parkinson disease. This will bring me closer to completing my PhD and moving into a research career focused on improving interventions for older adults with balance and walking impairments.”

2021-22 RECIPIENTS

Brittany Collins
Second-year MPA, Evans School of Public Policy
UWRA Charles Chamberlin Scholarship in Aging
“I am continuing my work on health and human services-related research, so that I can help older populations age gracefully and with all the support that they need from local policies. Thank you so much for this scholarship and the opportunity it provides for me.”

Hazal Ercin
Fifth-year PhD candidate, School of Social Work
UWRA Scholarship in Aging
“I’m so excited to finalize my analysis on state Medicaid policies on home- and community-based services and share it with scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers to make a difference. I feel really fortunate to receive this scholarship, because it means I can focus my attention on finishing my dissertation this summer, instead of carrying an additional workload.”

Chris Schad
MSW, School of Social Work
UWRA-University House Scholarship in Aging
“UWRA’s financial assistance has made my final quarter so much less stressful. I’m honored to continue my work at the Veteran’s Administration geriatric clinic, where it’s been my privilege to work with elder veterans and their caregivers.”

Fred Yeboah
3rd year PhD candidate, Molecular and Cellular Biology
UWRA Patricia Dougherty Fellowship in Aging
“I study Alzheimer’s disease, in pursuit of novel scientific discoveries that will help slow down the disease progression or lead to a cure. I am grateful for your generous support for first-generation and minority students like me. With this fellowship, I will be able to pursue new directions in my research projects without worrying about the funding and necessary costs incurred during my education. I hope to make you all proud.”