December 2024

2024 Foundation Scholarships: Investing in Employees to Strengthen the Aging Services Workforce

On December 4, 2024 by Ben Hansen

The LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation is dedicated to advancing the professional development of caregivers and employees within the aging services sector.

Each year, we offer educational scholarships to help individuals achieve their higher education goals and advance their careers in the aging services field.

2024 Scholarships

We’re proud to announce that in 2024, we awarded a record-breaking $34,500 in scholarships. These funds we’re distributed to 22 dedicated caregivers who work tirelessly each day to help Minnesota’s older adults age with dignity. This investment will support the strengthening of Minnesota’s aging services workforce, enabling these individuals to pursue further education and enhanced certifications.

One scholarship recipient, who has longed to be a nurse since she was a little girl, is using the funding to pursue her nursing degree. Here’s some of what she said:

“For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a nurse. When I was a toddler, I’d frequently pretend to be a nurse, making my dolls and even family members be my pretend patients. I gained an interest in working with older adults when I started to care for my grandmother in my teenage years. When it comes to what motivates me to become a nurse, the answer is simple: I want to care for others and devote my life to making someone’s day a little better.”

Continued Investment

We’re excited to continue investing in our members in 2025. Thanks to record-setting participation in our Foundation Golf Tournament earlier this year, we’ll be able to award over $54,000 in scholarships next year. Stay tuned for more information in coming newsletters on this. A heartfelt thank you to all our generous donors for making this great work possible!