In honor of Shelley Joseph-Kordell, a pioneer and passionate advocate for older adults in Minnesota, and the University of Minnesota established the Shelley Joseph-Kordell Memorial Scholarship to support students dedicated to advancing the field of aging.

The Shelley Joseph-Kordell Memorial Graduate Scholarship provides up to $30,000 during the academic year to 5–6 graduate students who demonstrate a deep commitment to a professional career in aging services.

New this year, the Shelley Joseph-Kordell Memorial Undergraduate Scholarship will award two $1,000 scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students who show strong promise and dedication to improving the lives of older adults.

These scholarships are open to any student currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree program at the University of Minnesota. Students who have previously received the award, or faculty and staff using the Regents Scholarship, are not eligible.

Priority consideration will be given to students who demonstrate a past, current, and future commitment to the field of aging. Active participation in the Aging Studies Interdisciplinary Group (ASIG) is strongly encouraged.

Application cycle for 2026/2027 scholars will be announced Fall 2026. 

Learn more about the Joseph-Kordell family story on SPH 40 Days of Gratitude.

Questions regarding the Scholarship can be directed to Rajean Moone, Ph.D., CHAI’s Associate Director of Policy, at moon0060@umn.edu.

2025-2026 Scholarship Winners

“Currently, my days in scrubs consist of caring for older adult patients on a cardiac progressive care unit at some of their sickest moments. These interactions are incredibly rewarding but also highlight the drastic need for geriatric specialized primary care providers. Older adults, many of whom deal with chronic conditions, are a unique and growing population that deserve focused interventions, care, and research. Upon earning my Doctorate of Nursing Practice degree, I aim to bridge that gap and prioritize older adult’s voices and quality of life as an adult and geriatric primary care nurse practitioner (AGPCNP).“

Anjali Daverery
MS in Health Services Research Policy and Administration
School of Public Health, University of Minnesota

“In the future, I hope to work at the intersection of aging, health policy, and equity to advance age-friendly systems of care for older adults in Minnesota and beyond. Building on my training in Health Services Research, Policy & Administration and my current role as Policy Researcher Intern with the Minnesota Leadership Council on Aging, I plan to focus on how Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term services and supports can better serve low-income, rural, immigrant, and historically marginalized older adults. I am especially interested in using administrative and population health data to identify inequities, inform policy reforms, and evaluate innovative models of care that support aging in place. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to research–policy partnerships that center the voices of older adults and caregivers in shaping more just and compassionate systems.“

Tysen Tyson
College of Education and Human Development
School of Social Work, University of Minnesota

“My work is grounded in an intersectional aging justice framework that reimagines how aging is understood, researched, and resourced for older adults at the intersections of racial, sexual, and gender marginalization. Through scholarship, teaching, and clinical practice, I aim to advance inclusive, trauma-informed models of healthy aging across the life course for Black sexual and gender minorities impacted by HIV/AIDS and stigma. In the long term, I aspire to serve as a translational scholar–practitioner–leader who bridges marginalized aging communities with policy and public health systems, contributing community-driven evidence to initiatives such as Minnesota’s Multisector Blueprint for Aging.“

Lexi Olson
Audiology Doctoral Program
College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota

“After graduation I plan to work as a clinical audiologist which gives me the opportunity to support older adult’s ease of communication. My career will include testing hearing and fitting hearing aids, but more importantly, clinical audiology focuses on encouraging patients to identify who they communicate with often and what they need to do so effectively. Knowing this, I can empower older adults by implementing tools and strategies into their lives that sustainably address their concerns and support their ability to connect with loved ones, peers and community members.“

Madalyn Everson
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program
College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota

“I am currently working toward completing my Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. My future plans in aging include dedicating my OT career to supporting older adults across a variety of possible settings, including rehabilitation, assisted living, and community-based programs. I aspire to help older adults maintain their independence, engagement, and quality of life through meaningful, client-centered interventions. I am passionate about promoting healthy aging and ensuring older adults have access to the resources and support they need to thrive.“

Nicole Kelly
Doctorate of Nursing Practice; Adult Gerontological Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
School of Nursing, University of Minnesota

“I plan to serve as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner dedicated to providing empathetic, patient-centered care to older adults. I will integrate my background in hospice, palliative, and cardiovascular nursing to support patients as they manage chronic illness. My goal is to help aging adults navigate complex health decisions with clarity, dignity, and confidence. Ultimately, I hope to improve the health, comfort, and overall well-being of older adults through thoughtful, comprehensive primary care.“

Hafsa Salad
Undergraduate Student
Bachelor of Applied Science, Healthcare Management; Minor in Long-Term Care Management
College of Continuing & Professional Studies, University of Minnesota

“I plan to continue volunteering with Caretenders Hospice while educating my community about end-of-life care and healthy aging. I am committed to advocating for policymakers to center older adults—especially those living with Alzheimer’s disease—in decisions that improve their quality of life. This summer, I will be interning with Monarch, where I will build hands-on skills in nursing facility operations and work toward obtaining my HSE licensure. My long-term goal is to become a transformative nursing home director who prioritizes dignity, equity, and culturally responsive care for older adults.“

Sohum BIndra
Undergraduate Student
B.S. Neuroscience
College of Biological Sciences, University of Minnesota

“As a neuroscience student engaged in stroke-related research, I’ve seen how impairments in mobility and daily activities can have a significant effect on quality of life, particularly among older adults. My future goals in aging, therefore, include continuing my neurological research and contributing to the development of evidence-based interventions that promote safer aging and work to improve long-term geriatric health outcomes.“

Past Recipients

• 2025: Andrea Mena Rodriguez, Andrew Hirst, Azylen Lunak, Louise (Siyu) Gao, Shania Kuo, Si-Yu Tsai, Tiffany Onyejiaka
• 2024: Christina Cauble, Kelly Moeller, John Mulcahy, Neha Reddy & Grace Savard
• 2023: Dina Belhasan & Emily Merkel & Jamie Stoppler & Dana Urbanski
• 2022: Janette Romero Saenz & Madeleine Howard & Michelle Berning & Heather Ferguson
• 2017: Ana Westervelt & Ruther Rath-Nesvacil & Kelse Pierce
• 2016: Mary Whipple & Katie Woken Louwagie & Eric Jutkowitz
• 2015: Tai Gilbert
• 2014: Heather Davila & Melanie Jackson & Breanna Wheeler
• 2013: Jessica Finlay & Tina Kilaberia
• 2012: Carrie Henning-Smith & Carina Noecker
• 2011: Ellen McCreedy
• 2010: Amanda Barnett
• 2009: Andrea Wysocki
• 2008: Charissa Eaton
• 2007: Mary Dierich
• 2006: Kristine Talley
• 2005: Rajean Moone

About Shelley Joseph-Kordell

“I can only echo countless others in saying what a kind, caring, compassionate human being Shelley was. She helped me and my family in so many ways with her guidance and expertise, and touched us with her love.”  ~Family member of a client

Shelley Joseph-Kordell was a pioneer in geriatric care management, a field that provides older adults and their families an array of support including medical advocacy, care coordination, long-term care advice, and research and arrangement of community services. More than 20 years earlier, she had anticipated the need for advocacy and service to seniors, founding the company “Estates in Transition/Rent a Daughter (now Pathfinder Care Management/Rent a Daughter) to serve seniors and their families. Setting the benchmark for care management for older adults in the Twin Cities, Shelley made professional advocacy and service for seniors her life’s passion.

Shortly before Shelley’s untimely death in 2003, she expressed optimism that the needs of older adults were gaining increased community attention. Shelley’s family, friends, and colleagues created the Scholarship to honor Shelley’s life and contributions to the community and recognize future leaders in geriatrics and aging services.