Kott Gerontology Scholars Program

Overview

Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust

The Russell & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust honors the lives of Russell and Josephine Kott. Their bequest created a resource that provides funding each year to support a range of charitable organizations that improve the lives of individuals, with an emphasis on gerontology. The Trust focuses on opportunities to provide grants that enhance services for seniors through educational internships, quality programs and capacity building for agencies serving seniors.

Kott Gerontology Scholars Program

About the Program

The Kott Gerontology Scholars Program (KGSP) aims to advance the field of aging in an effort to bolster opportunities, engagement and quality of life among older adults. Since 2004, the Russell and Josephine Kott Charitable Memorial Trust has provided internship scholarships to promising advanced degree graduate students interested in the aging field who are attending Chicagoland-area universities. The Kott Gerontology Scholars Program (KGSP) encourages and supports graduate students in a variety of professional specializations to develop skills that will engage and prepare them to continue working with and on behalf of older adults after graduation. KGSP strives to build a robust pipeline of enthused aging professionals to support increasing longevity among the growing number older adults in our communities.

The Internship Experience

The Kott Gerontology Scholars Program provides meaningful and intensive ‘hands-on’ training for its scholars. Interns are assigned to a primary host agency for a placement that requires 600 hours of on-site participation over a complete and continuous academic year, or approximately three full days per week from September through May.

The KGSP experience includes opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and support, as well as deepened exposure to the field through presentations and an annual event with agencies, universities and Kott Scholar Alumni. Kott Scholars are also required to complete a macro project that meets their interest and the needs of their host agency. Most students spend some time working at their respective agencies during school vacations to complete their hours and to provide continuity of services to clients. Because host agencies serve clients in broad geographic areas, interns are required to provide their own transportation and submit documentation of personal insurance for vehicles upon acceptance to the program. Interns do not transport clients in their work.

Scholarship Terms

Kott Gerontology Scholars receive a $10,000 scholarship for a complete academic year, paid directly to interns’ universities for deposit into their personal student accounts in two equal payments. Interns are expected to be registered as full-time students during their internships.

Eligibility

_You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website._

* Promising advanced degree graduate students interested in the aging field who are attending Chicagoland-area universities. 
* We encourage advanced degree students of all abilities, and racial, ethnic and identity backgrounds entering their final year to apply.