For Immediate Release February 16, 2010	Contact: Todd Kluss This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (202) 587-2839

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education Honors New Officers, Awardees

The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) — the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America — is proud to announce its newest elected officers and the recipients of its 2010 awards.

The installation of the officers and presentation of the awards will occur at AGHE’s 36th Annual Meeting and Educational Leadership Conference, taking place from March 4 to 7, 2010, at the Peppermill Resort in Reno, NV. This event provides a forum for professionals in the field of aging to present their work and share ideas about gerontological and geriatric education and training. Visit www.aghe.org for complete details.

Officers
These individuals are responsible for matters of governance and strategic planning for the organization.

Secretary-Elect
Judith A. Sugar, PhD, University of Nevada Reno

Members-at-Large-Elect
Pamela S. Mayberry, MGS, Ithaca College Gerontology Institute
Kelly Niles-Yokum, PhD, York College of Pennsylvania
Leland Hubert "Bert" Waters III, MS, Virginia Center on Aging, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Awardees
Clark Tibbitts Award
Presented to Frank J. Whittington, PhD, George Mason University.
This award was established in 1980 to recognize individuals who and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the advancement gerontology as a field of study in institutions of higher education.

Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award
Presented to David A. Chiriboga, PhD, University of South Florida.
This award, named for an outstanding mentor in gerontology, is given to an individual who has contributed to gerontological education through excellence in mentorship to students, faculty, and administrators.

Distinguished Faculty Award
Presented to Karen A. Hooker, PhD, Oregon State University, and Rona J. Karasik, PhD, Saint Cloud State University.
This award recognizes persons whose teaching stands out as exemplary, innovative, of impact, or any combination thereof.

Mildred M. Seltzer Distinguished Service Recognition
Presented to C. Joanne Grabinski, PhD, Eastern Michigan University, and Mary Alice Wolf, PhD, Saint Joseph University.
This award honors colleagues who are near retirement or recently retired. Recipients are individuals who have been actively involved in AGHE through service on committees, as elected officers, and/or have provided leadership in one of AGHE’s grant-funded projects.

Administrative Leadership Award
Presented to Tammy M. Bray, PhD, Oregon State University
This award honors administrators on AGHE member campuses who have made exceptional efforts in support of gerontology or geriatrics education.

David A. Peterson Gerontology & Geriatrics Education Best Paper of the Volume Award
Presented to Nina M. Silverstein, PhD, University of Massachusetts Boston; Elizabeth Johns, MS, University of Massachusetts Boston; and  Judith A. Griffin, MA, MS, University of Massachusetts Boston, for the article “Students Explore Livable Communities.” Honorable mention is given to Emily J. Robbins, MS, Miami University; Jennifer M. Kinney, PhD, Miami University; and Cary S. Kart, PhD, Miami University, for the article “Promoting Active Engagement in Health Research: Lessons Learned from an Undergraduate Gerontology Capstone Course.”
The purpose of this award is to recognize excellence in scholarship in academic gerontology in AGHE’s official journal, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education.

Graduate Student Paper Award
Presented to Deborah Gray, MBA, University of Massachusetts Boston, for the paper “Weight and Wealth: The Relationship between Obesity and Net Worth for Pre-Retirement Age Men and Women.”
This award acknowledges excellence in scholarly work conducted by an AGHE Annual Meeting student attendee.

Book Award for Best Children’s Literature on Aging
Presented to Caitlin Dale Nicholson and Leona Morinn-Nelson for “Niwechihaw/I help” in the primary reader (pre-K to 2nd grade) category, and Ann Grifalconi and Jerry Pickney for “Ain’t Nobody A Stranger to Me” in the elementary reader (3rd to 5th grade) category.
This award recognizes portrayals of meaningful aging in children’s literature.

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The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE) is the educational branch of The Gerontological Society of America, the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education, and practice in the field of aging. AGHE seeks to advance gerontology as a field of study at institutions of higher education through conferences, publications, technical assistance, research studies, and consultation with policy makers. It is currently the only institutional member organization dedicated to gerontology and geriatrics education worldwide.