University of Vermont undergraduate pre-medical student Liam Boyle '28 chats with a Williston Place senior living resident while making collages. Boyle will play an integral role in the development of Vermont Youth Leaders in Aging as a facilitator and student coordinator. UVM photos.
High School Students Invited to Apply
Vermont Business Magazine The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s Center on Aging received $50,000 from the Eisner Foundation for a project to advance the health and well-being of older Vermonters through intergenerational engagement. The funds will support the creation of a statewide youth leadership program that will place high school students in multigenerational volunteer groups in their communities, with an aim to build meaningful relationships with older Vermonters.
High school students are invited to apply to this free program by September 2, 2025. The high schoolers will participate in biweekly volunteer groups at senior living or residential care communities close to their schools, as part of a volunteer team led by trained UVM student facilitators.
Groups will have a choice between activity options designed to foster conversation and collaboration, including facilitated discussions, art, music, or cooking. They will also hear from guest speakers from the Center on Aging Faculty Advisory Board, who will introduce their research on a range of aging-related topics and highlight a range of aging-related careers.
For more information and to apply, visit https://www.uvm.edu/larnermed/centeronaging/vermont-youth-leaders-aging
The Eisner Prize funds were directly awarded to Marissa Birne, associate director of education at the Center on Aging, who proposed this project. Birne was selected from a highly competitive applicant pool to serve as a 2025–26 Eisner Prize Fellow. This fellowship is a year-long program designed to support leaders who are pioneering innovations in intergenerational connection.
At the Center on Aging, Birne leads educational initiatives including intergenerational discussions, an annual gerontology symposium, and a “Grand Friends” program that pairs students with older volunteers to learn from each other’s stories.
Marissa Birne, associate director of education at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine’s Center on Aging
The Eisner Prize Fellowship is a program of The Eisner Foundation, the family foundation of former Disney CEO Michael Eisner and his wife Jane, and the only U.S.-based foundation exclusively supporting intergenerational programs.
Founded in 1822, the Robert Larner, M.D., College of Medicine at the University of Vermont is dedicated to developing exceptional physicians and scientists by offering innovative curriculum designs, state-of-the-art research facilities, and clinical partnerships with leading health care institutions. The college’s commitment to excellence has earned national recognition, attracting talented students, trainees, physicians, and researchers from across the country. With a focus on inclusive excellence, the Larner College of Medicine prides itself on cultivating an environment that uplifts and supports its faculty and student populations while advancing medical education, research, and patient care in Vermont and beyond.
8.14.2025. University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine
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