The Donovan Scholarship in Gerontology

  • About the Scholarship
  • Criteria for Scholarship
  • Application

The Donovan Scholarship in Gerontology was established on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Donovan Scholars, UK lifelong learning program. Each year, deserving graduate and undergraduate scholars are identified to receive scholarships to enable them to continue their studies and to pursue a career in the area of aging. Scholarships have been awarded annually since 1991.

The amount of the scholarships depends upon the interest earned each year by the Donovan Scholarship endowment. In recent years $2000 per year has been available for each of three scholarship recipients.

To apply for the Gerontology Scholarship, you must be a full-time student (currently enrolled and taking at least 12 undergraduate credit hours or 9 graduate or professional credit hours) during the semester for which you would qualify to receive the scholarship. The application must contain the following documents:

  1. The completed and signed application form
  2. An official University of Kentucky transcript
  3. Two sealed and signed letters of recommendation
  4. A 3 to 6 pages, typed, double spaced essay.

If you are interested in applying, please review

and submit your application either by hand or by mail to:

Gerontology Scholarship
Donovan Scholars Office
OLLI at UK
University of Kentucky
Ligon House 658 South Limestone
Lexington, KY 40506-0442

Application must received by March 15.

If you have any questions, please call (859) 257-2657 or email Sharye Davis.

  1. Applicants must be enrolled in, or accepted for, a full-time undergraduate (12 or more credit hours), graduate (9 or more credit hours or for dissertation/capstone research credit), or professional program at the University of Kentucky during the semesters for which the scholarship is to be awarded.
  2. Applicants must have shown an interest in the needs of older adults.
  3. Applications will be evaluated on experience in the field of aging, career goals, plans for the use of scholarship funds, grades, and information contained in the required essay and reference letters.
  4. Any individual applicant is eligible for no more than three Donovan Scholarships.