Virginia Union University Awards First AARP Leadership in Aging Scholarship

Virginia Union University has awarded the first AARP Leadership in Aging Scholarship.

Michael Evans received the $1,000 AARP Leadership in Aging Scholarship. Evans is a junior Religious Studies major. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he is the son of Ruth and Duval Evans.

Evans is familiar with AARP, but was unaware of the scholarship opportunity, which could provide assistance for three consecutive years.

“One day, I got a call from the financial aid office saying I was qualified for a scholarship,” Evans said, “and I immediately applied, because I knew I could use the extra money.”

He enjoys public speaking and has a passion for community service. Evans spends his spare time mentoring at Trinity Baptist Church in Richmond, VA.

Upon graduation in May 2013, he plans to enter into a dual degree program to earn a Masters of Divinity and social work at Princeton University.

AARP Virginia created the scholarship to encourage more students to study aging.

“As our population continues to age – the Baby Boomers reach age 65 this year – we need more students to look for ways to tackle issues related to an aging society,” said AARP Virginia State Director Bill Kallio.

The $1,000 scholarship will be offered three years in a row, through the 2012-2013 school year. To qualify for the scholarship, students must:

• be committed to addressing the challenges of an aging society through their chosen profession
  
• have demonstrated leadership skills and a commitment to community service
  
• maintain a 3.0 grade point average for at least one semester
  

The university will choose one recipient of the scholarship each year. Money from the scholarship may be used to meet any expense related to academic needs, including living expense, books, computers, class expenses and transportation costs.

“The support of AARP exemplifies the significance of the public-private partnership, which Virginia Union University fosters, as we endeavor to provide a quality education for deserving students,” said Dr. Claude G. Perkins, President of Virginia Union University.