UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing’s Tressa Nese and Helen Diskevich Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence (CGNE) held its ninth annual CGNE Alumni and Friends Spring Brunch on April 3. The event was made possible through the support of their partners and brunch sponsors. 

Keynote speaker, Dr. Louise Aronson presented “Aging, Ageism, and the Future of Elderhood" focusing on the concept and experience of aging in our society as well as the multiple environmental, societal, regulatory, and other influences on aging and healthcare for older adults, including those highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Aronson is a leading geriatrician, educator, and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. She is a graduate of the Harvard Medical School, and has received several awards, as well as being a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction by authoring "Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, and Reimagining Life".

Aside from the keynote presentation and acknowledgements of the center’s education, research, and translation accomplishments, the center awarded two individuals for their commitment to the advancement of gerontological nursing practice and research. 

The Community Champion Award recognizes community individuals and organizations who have contributed substantively to the advancement of the well-being of older adults and who are known for championing the cause of Penn State nursing excellence in the care of older adults. 

The PhD Student Champion award recognizes students who are affiliated with the center, have an elevated level of participation with our center throughout their educational program, have doctoral research or doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project that involves gerontology, has demonstrated passion and commitment for working with older adults, has a dissertation or final project that aligns with the center's vision, and seeks to improve the lives of older adults in positive and person-centered ways. 

The awards included: 

• 2022 CGNE PhD Student Champion winner: Logan Sweeder 

• 2022 CGNE Community Champion winners: Susan Kukic

• 2022 Mark T. Kolanowski Award for Excellence in Ph.D. Nursing Research: Yo-Jen Liao

"I am honored to be recognized as the 2022 CGNE PhD Student Champion. The CGNE has been an instrumental part of my doctoral education by offering evidence-based continuing education programs, financial support for conference travel, and connecting me to a network of interdisciplinary geriatric experts. Their presence and support from within the college has been momentous for my professional development as a future gerontological nurse scientist, and for that I am forever grateful." said Sweeder. 

About the Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence 

The vision of the Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence is for every older adult to experience the highest quality of care and well-being supported by evidence-based practices that respect their individual goals and preferences. The center accomplishes this through innovative education, rigorous scientific research, community and clinical partnerships, and various efforts to translate best-practice evidence into the continuum of care for older adults.