AAG Provincial Student Award 2024
AAG is pleased to sponsor two awards for graduate students in Alberta who have an interest in any aspect of aging. The award is to assist with costs associated with coursework, research, or attendance at a workshop/conference.
Eligibility:
The applicant must:
- Be registered in a graduate degree program in an accredited post-secondary institution in Alberta.
- Not be in the last term of their program.
- Demonstrate an interest in any aspect of aging.
- Agree to contribute an article for an edition of the AAGmag (e.g. a written summary of planned research).
An individual can receive the provincially sponsored award only once in their degree program.
Guidelines:
- Applications will be assessed on academic merit as illustrated by grades and educational attainment, relevant work/volunteer experience, current studies/research plans, future commitment to the field of gerontology, and an indication of how this award will be used to support the applicant’s interest in gerontology.
- Preference will be given to full-time students and current AAG members.
Nominations will be accepted annually until mid April.
The decision will be made by the Awards and Scholarship Committee, who makes the recommendation to the Board.
Recognition
Two awards of $1,000 will be awarded annually.
The award recipient will also receive a free one-year membership in the Alberta Association on Gerontology.
Award Recipient swill be announced at the AGM in June and published on AAG’s News and Views and Website
PROVINCIAL GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP-MASTERS—2024 RECIPIENT
Nicole Moore - University of Alberta
(Master Science in Occupational Therapy program)
Nicole is a proud gerontologist and aging advocate committed to delivering high quality services to older Albertans. She has 6 years of experience in the senior’s living industry, has a Master of Gerontology degree from the University of Northern Colorado and is currently in her second year of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) program at the University of Alberta. She lives in Calgary with her young daughter.Nicole is pleased to be the recipient of the 2023-2024 Gyro Club of Edmonton Graduate Scholarship Masters Level Award and was thrilled recently to receive the Alberta Association on Gerontology (AAG)’s 2024 Graduate Scholarship Masters Award.
She is excited to use the AAG scholarship to support mature students like herself transition into graduate studies by presenting her research at the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) conference in Edmonton in 2025. As part of her group capstone research project, she explored the factors influencing the competence and satisfaction of first year graduate students in the Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Alberta. It is her research groups’ hope to further the academic literature on the unique experiences of this population and inform the development of supportive services to make the transition smoother.
Following Nicole’s graduation from the MScOT program in June 2025 she looks forward to continuing her work with the older adult population and is excited to use the holistic occupational therapy lens to meet older people where they are at and provide them with fulfilling, life enriching OT services. Nicole hopes she can inspire everyone she encounters in her practice to age with pride.
PROVINCIAL GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP-Ph.D—2024 RECIPIENT
Chika Ikeorji - University of Calgary
(PhD Social Work program)
Chika is a PhD student at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. She is originally from Nigeria and in partnership with some aging networks involved in providing care for older adults. Chika’s passion and interest in gerontology developed during her volunteer work at a residential care home.
Chika was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship for a Masters degree in Gerontology at the University of Southampton, UK and with the knowledge and excellent academic performance acquired during her Master’s degree in Gerontology, she has demonstrated her expertise through publications on aging studies in reputable journals. Her PhD research focuses on improving healthy aging in informal caregiving. Understanding the perspectives of older adults and their care givers about the changing trends in informal care is important in promoting healthy aging for seniors. Chika serves as a Research Assistant to her supervisor and other team of researchers, where she has demonstrated excellent skills in communication, critical thinking and data analysis and is making valuable contributions to global projects that provide actionable recommendations to improving the wellbeing of older people in Canada and Nigeria.
As a recipient of this award, Chika hopes to improve her knowledge and skills in gerontology through research, advocacy and partnership as well as attending conferences and workshops in disseminating knowledge and information about aging, seniors and care givers.