Celebrating Gerontology Students: Rachel and Samantha

The Institute on Aging is thrilled to celebrate the recipients of the 2024 RAPS Robert Vogelsang Scholarship awards to two gerontology students: Rachel Burr and Samantha Stevens! Learn more about Rachel and Samantha, and their aspirations for working in the field of aging after graduation below:

Rachel Burr, an Oregon native, is pursuing her MSW and a gerontology certificate for graduation in 2026. Rachel's extensive volunteer work with the aging community helped her identify service gaps and consider how her identities, values, and skills could help meet these needs. She hopes to eventually land in a medical setting, working in hospice and palliative care. Beyond her academic pursuits, Rachel enjoys playing the cello, exploring printmaking techniques, and assisting as a contemplative care volunteer at Hopewell House Hospice.

Samantha Stevens, a first-generation college student, was raised in Southern Illinois by her father, a coal miner, for 43 years. In the early 2000s, she relocated to Oregon, where she now resides with her partner and beloved pets. Samantha's passion for service is evident in her decade-long experience in crisis support and response, housing advocacy, case management, program management, and volunteer work within the nonprofit sector and in her community. This dedication led her back to Portland State University in 2022 to pursue her Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Graduate Gerontology Certificate (GNRC). As she approaches her graduation in Spring 2025, Samantha is eagerly anticipating the start of her new career in hospice medical social work, with a focus on supporting older adults.

Learn more about the RAPS Robert Vogelsang Scholarship, including how to donate and support future gerontology students! Recipients are undergraduate or graduate level students who are passionate about a career related to gerontology and planning to work in fields ranging from health to housing.