The Hartford Partnership Program for Aging Education (HPPAE) is a unique educational program designed to enhance leadership skills in gerontology. The program is based on the development of specific geriatric competencies across service sectors and with the diverse older adult population. Students will explore the impact of ageism and gain skills to address it. It is offered, with appropriate variation in coursework, competencies, and practicum experience, for Master’s and Bachelor’s students.
Program Benefits
- Earn a financial award of at least $4,000 during the experience
- Opportunities to attend local conferences and programs on aging and gerontology.
- Student seminars and professional development experiences that allow students to learn from and with each other, as well as from their practicum instructors and outside experts.
- Fellows may become certified as Ageless Wisdom trainers
- MSW Fellows may earn a graduate DP Gerontology Certificate or a graduate COSA Gerontology Certificate
Eligibility Requirements
- BASW entering final year of program
- Part-time or full-time in-person or online University of Pittsburgh MSW students
- Direct Practice or COSA
- A gerontology certificate is preferred but not required
Fellowship Commitments
- Complete the required number of hours of practicum at designated Hartford partner agencies.
- Complete all paperwork, clearances, and trainings required by the practicum agency.
- Complete gerontology coursework as discussed with the program director
- Participation in the Ageless Wisdom aging sensitivity training program, including helping to present the program to MSW and BASW students.
- Each cohort is required to develop and implement a community-based/leadership project (see example projects at the bottom of the page). Students will showcase their projects at the end of the year for faculty, staff, and professionals in the community.
- Students are required to attend an in-person monthly seminar (meeting) with their peers. Attendance at these seminars is mandatory and will count toward students’ total practicum hours.
Fellowship Practicum Options
Examples of practicum sites include:
- Veterans Administration
- UPMC
- Palliative Care
- Senior Services
- Inpatient Behavioral Health
- Health plan
- LIFE Program (Living Independently for the Elderly)
Southwestern PA Partnership for Aging
- Community-based agencies
- Skilled nursing and rehabilitation
Instructions for How to Apply
Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year will be accepted from December 1, 2025, to February 13, 2026 (BASW) and May 1, 2026 (MSW)
- Within the application, answer the following essay questions:
- In no more than 5 paragraphs, please describe your interest in working with older adults and explain how participating in this fellowship would support your professional goals as a social worker. Include any relevant experiences, skills, or perspectives you bring to this opportunity, and how you hope to apply them through this fellowship.
- Interview
If there are unfilled positions, rolling applications will be accepted and reviewed: June-August
Rolling application and wait list notification: August 15
Waitlist Policy: Once a student formally accepts a fellowship appointment, they will be removed from any other training program wait list.
Contact Information
Beth Mulvaney, Gerontology Chair, EAM65@pitt.edu
