“I quickly realized that they may not remember your name, but they remember your presence,” said Ridgeway, now a senior gerontology major and intern with OMA, part of Miami’s Scripps Gerontology Center.
Inspired by her experiences, Ridgeway plans to pursue a master’s degree in gerontology and dreams of working for the Alzheimer’s Association one day.
Ridgeway, along with two other students, Jessica Littrell and Eleni Balli, are the 2013 Charitable Words Scholars, which is a new program established by Tom and Maureen Callinan and The Callinan Family Fund. The program connects students interested in humanitarian work with nonprofit organizations in the region and around the globe. The student scholars will receive scholarship funds that help offset the financial burden of interning for nonprofits.
“We look at the bottom of resumes as much as the top,” Maureen Callinan said. “Have you volunteered to help others? Have you done service projects? Your character, core values and DNA count as much as your GPA.”
Starting this year at Miami with Ridgeway’s cohort, the Charitable Words Scholars program will make scholarships available through Scripps Gerontology Center to student interns providing support and services to older adults. Scholars will blog about their experiences on CharitableWords.com, which aims to showcase the good being done by nonprofits and common causes.
“These students are tomorrow’s leaders in aging, and we are delighted to have this opportunity to recognize their contributions and commitments,” said Dr. Suzanne Kunkel, director of the Scripps Gerontology Center. “We are excited to partner with the Charitable Words organization on this award, and with Tom and Maureen specifically, because they, like us, are passionate about making a positive difference.”
About the Author