Five students from across the country were each awarded $5,000 toward their college tuition as part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab’s OMEGA scholarship, an annual program sponsored by Five Star Senior Living, a division of AlerisLife.
What is the MIT OMEGA Scholarship?
The OMEGA scholarship—which stands for Opportunities for Multigenerational Exchange, Growth, and Action—recognizes students for their impeccable leadership efforts in their local schools and communities to foster intergenerational connections. Additionally, each of the five scholarship recipients will receive an extra $1,000 to support their programs.
2022 OMEGA Scholarship Winners
Through their efforts, each scholarship recipient has made a positive impact on older adults, some working directly with Five Star Senior Living communities. The 2022 OMEGA scholarship winners are:
Maya Lall, senior, Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Md. Maya founded and serves as executive director of “Students Supporting Seniors,” which provides older adults with technology support through video demonstrations, virtual and in-person troubleshooting, and technology courses at local senior living communities, including Five Star Premier Residences of Chevy Chase.
Cora Funk, senior, Valor Collegiate Academy, Nashville, Tenn. After attending a 2020 OMEGA Summit at Five Star’s Fieldstone Place, Cora developed “Students Connecting with Seniors,” a club connecting local high school students with older adults in the Nashville community. SCS primarily partners with FiftyForward, a local nonprofit organization.
Maya Joshi, senior, Walter Payton College Preparatory High School, Chicago, Ill. Maya is the president and founder of a chapter-based nonprofit “Lifting Hearts with the Arts,” which connects older adults and youth for arts-based one-on-one activities as well as group programming including trivia, art lessons, and tai chi.
Steven Yang, senior, Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minn. Steven is founder and president of “Zenith,” which trains high school student volunteers to teach tai chi classes in local residential and assisted living communities.
Michael Wilson, now a student at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Ind. Michael coordinated a local chapter of the Arizona Old Time Fiddlers Association. His program, “Bridging the Gap through Music” fosters intergenerational interactions through acoustic music jams and performances. He is also a lead speaker, singer, and mandolin player in an intergenerational band “Six Gal ‘n Hat,” which often plays music for older adults in local events.
Creating opportunities for Students and Seniors
Sponsoring the OMEGA scholarship is one of the many ways AlerisLife and Five Star continue to provide services to the lives of older adults.
“At AlerisLife, and at each of our Five Star communities, our mission is to enrich and inspire the journey of life, one experience at a time,” said Zehra Abid-Wood, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Transformation at AlerisLife. “This exceptional group of students has displayed great empathy, respect, and leadership by spearheading initiatives in their communities to better the day-to-day lives of older adults. Their innovation and commitment to building intergenerational friendships is admirable and consistent with our company’s mission and values. We are proud to support the MIT AgeLab’s OMEGA scholarship awards program and look forward to following each of these students’ continued success.”
Explore Senior Living Options with Five Star
AlerisLife and Five Star communities believe a person’s quality of life is ageless. Our Five Star senior living communities offer a wide range of senior living options built with a high level of service, sense of community, and true independence.
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