Congratulations to the winners of the student awards for the Gerontology Department at UMass Boston! During the Manning College of Nursing and Health Sciences Award Ceremony, the following students received honors for their contributions to the field of gerontology, to the community, and to the university.
(View Department of Gerontology Awards pdf.)
Gerontology Dissertation Book Award
Yan-Jhu Su, PhD
The Gerontology Dissertation Book Award is presented to a graduating PhD student for the completion of an outstanding dissertation project. Yan-Jhu Su produced a rigorous and methodologically sophisticated dissertation study, “Investigating the Associations of Cognitive Health, Health Behaviors, and Personality in Older Community-Dwelling Older Adults.” In this dissertation, Yan-Jhu applied a novel statistical approach to addressing research questions of topical and timely importance.
Jeffrey Burr Gerontology Scholarship Award
Jeein Jang, MS
The Jeffrey Burr Gerontology Scholarship Award is presented to a PhD, Masters (Research Policy Track), or Certificate student (Research Policy Track) for an original paper that shows scholarly rigor and contributes to the discipline. Jeein was recognized for her paper entitled, “Perceived Neighborhood Characters and Activity Engagement among Racially and Ethnically Diverse Older Adults.” In examining racial and ethnic variation in the associations of neighborhood characteristics with activity engagement among the aging population, Jeein makes an innovative contribution to the literature.
Jan Mutchler Gerontology Service Award
Janelle Fassi
The Jan Mutchler Gerontology Service Award is presented to a PhD student making satisfactory academic progress who exhibits outstanding contributions to the Department, the University, and the discipline. Janelle not only serves the department in official capacities, such as her leadership role in Sigma Phi Omega, the Gerontology honor society, but she is also always ready to offer a helping hand with meeting prospective students, assisting and advising students in newer cohorts, and connecting with guests and speakers on campus. Janelle also demonstrated her commitment to the values of justice and service, via the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the City of Boston.
Samual S.C. Wu Gerontology Paper Award
Wuyi Dong, MS
The Samual S.C. Wu Gerontology Paper Award is presented to a PhD student for an original paper that focuses on Asian-American or Asian older adults, with a particular emphasis on Chinese older adults. Wuyi was recognized for her paper entitled, “The Lasting Impact of Childhood Food Insecurity on Depression Trajectories: The Role of Citizenship Status and Timing.” This paper, which focuses on the relationship between early food insecurity and depressive symptoms during mid- and later-adulthood in China, is an excellent example of research using a life course perspective to determine how early-life factors shape the aging process, and its aims and results align very well with this award.
Capstone Project Award in Aging Services
Katherine Rohan O’Brien, MS
The Capstone Project Award in Aging Services is presented to master’s students in the Management of Aging Services track. Katherine was recognized for her Capstone project entitled, “Opportunities for the Milton Council on Aging to Implement Effective Interventions to Combat Social Isolation and Loneliness in Community Dwelling Older Adults.” This project offers an in-depth analysis of current programs and services, identifies unmet need, and makes recommendations for new, creative approaches to address social isolation and loneliness.
Lilian Glickman Academic Excellence Award in Aging Services
Josiane Hilaire
The Lilian Glickman Academic Excellence Award in Aging Services is presented to the graduating master’s student in the Management of Aging Services track who has demonstrated academic excellence. Josiane demonstrated academic excellence throughout her career in the Management of Aging Services program. Josiane commitment to learning and achieving her goals is extraordinary. During her tenure she was able to maintain a perfect GPA while working to support her family.
Ellen Birchander Distinguished Service Award in Aging Services
Brynne Quinlan
The Ellen Birchander Distinguished Service Award in Aging Services is presented to a master’s student in the Management of Aging Services program who has had a continuous record of aging-related service to their school, classmates, profession, or community. Brynne demonstrated passion and commitment in serving older adults by fostering autonomy and independence through her work at two different Aging Services Access Points while completing her studies with excellence.
Academic Excellence Award in Aging Studies
Sheryl Campbell
The Academic Excellence Award in Aging Studies is presented to the graduating student majoring in Aging Studies who has demonstrated academic excellence. Sheryl demonstrated exceptional academic achievement, earning a perfect 4.0 GPA. This award, however, reflects not only her outstanding performance across all coursework, but also her dedication, intellectual curiosity, and consistent engagement in the classroom.
Nina Silverstein Distinguished Service Award in Aging Studies
Paula Worsley
The Nina Silverstein Distinguished Service Award in Aging Studies is presented to a graduating Aging studies major and certificate student who has had a continuous record of aging-related service to their school, classmates, profession, or community. Paula demonstrated exceptional service in aging studies through her work at Cooperative Elder Services, Inc. at the Arlington Center where she is a leader in the Activities program for the Memory Care program. Paula’s creative programming focuses on failure-free activities designed to target long-term memory and encourage clients to use their remaining cognitive skills, while enhancing self-esteem and dignity.
Outstanding Classroom Engagement Award in Aging Studies
Emma Curtis
The Outstanding Classroom Engagement Award in Aging Studies is presented to the graduating Aging Studies major, minor, or certificate student who exhibited notable effort, participation, and performance in the classroom. Emma Curtis is an outstanding student earning a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Aging Studies and graduating May 2025. According to her instructors, Emma’s insights, class participation, and academic performance have been remarkable, enriching the learning experiences of her peers by bridging concepts from psychology, health, and gerontology.
Leave a Reply