Save the Date
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2027
1:30 P.M. to 5 P.M.
The Department of Gerontology and the Virginia Center on Aging are celebrating 50 years of exceptional education, partnerships, advocacy and research. Please save the date of Saturday, October 23rd, 2027 and celebrate our 50th Anniversary with us on the VCU campus, at the College of Health Professions!
This celebration will offer the opportunity to reconnect with classmates and colleagues, explore what’s new at the department and VCoA and join our emerging elderhood movement.
Keynote Speaker
Leanne Clark-Shirley, Ph.D.
Leanne Clark-Shirley, Ph.D., is the American Society on Aging (ASA)’s President & CEO. Clark-Shirley is a social gerontologist with nearly 20 years of experience working in aging-related nonprofit, consulting and academic environments. Before joining ASA, she was AARP’s Senior Evaluation Advisor, responsible for strategic planning, building internal evaluation research capacity and applying impact measurement expertise at the departmental and enterprise levels. Prior to that, she led the Aging and Disability research practice at IMPAQ International, a think-tank and policy research firm. Clark-Shirley is a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America, teaches courses on policy and aging and regularly mentors students interested in non-academic careers in aging. She received her doctorate in Gerontology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Full agenda and details to come.
In honor of our 50th anniversary, we are creating a new scholarship to support students seeking access to gerontological education.
The E.L.D.E.R. Scholarship: Excellence in Leadership, Discovery, Education and Research Scholarship will recognize and support students who demonstrate a commitment to advancing the field of aging through academic excellence, leadership, research and scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to gerontology students who embody the next generation of leaders, educators, researchers and advocates in the field of aging.
We are so grateful to the generous donors who have created a “dollar for dollar” challenge to match their initial pledge of $25,000. Your support is instrumental in uplifting future gerontologists and aging experts and we welcome donations to the scholarship fund.
We would love to have VCU Gerontology alumni and friends of the VCoA get involved in our 50th Anniversary celebration. If you are interested, please email Tracey Gendron, Ph.D. at tlgendro@vcu.edu to get connected to the festivities.