RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION
OF PORTLAND STATE
SCHOLARSHIP
RAPS ROBERT VOGELSANG SCHOLARSHIP
ABOUT RAPS SCHOLARSHIP
Founded in 2011, the RAPS Robert Vogelsang Scholarship provides one of the most generous scholarships offered at Portland State. Recipients are undergraduate or graduate level students who are passionate about a career related to gerontology and planning to work in fields ranging from health to housing.
More than ever, we need your help to continue awarding these scholarships and to reach our goals of a fully endowed fund with the University.
GIVE TODAY
Give back to PSU and help student's grow their futures. To contribute to the scholarship fund please contact the RAPS Office Manager at 503-725-3447 or email the RAPS office at rapsmail@pdx.edu
2024 WINNER
Rachel Burr
Rachel, an Oregon native, is pursuing her MSW and a gerontology certificate for graduation in 2026. Rachel's extensive volunteer work with the aging community helped her identify service gaps and consider how her identities, values, and skills could help meet these needs. She hopes to eventually land in a medical setting, working in hospice and palliative care. Beyond her academic pursuits, Rachel enjoys playing the cello, exploring printmaking techniques, and assisting as a contemplative care volunteer at Hopewell House Hospice.
2024 WINNER
Samantha Stevens
Samantha, a first-generation college student, was raised in Southern Illinois by her father, a coal miner, for 43 years. In the early 2000s, she relocated to Oregon, where she now resides with her partner and beloved pets. Samantha's passion for service is evident in her decade-long experience in crisis support and response, housing advocacy, case management, program management, and volunteer work within the non-profit sector and in her community. This dedication led her back to Portland State University in 2022 to pursue her Master of Social Work (MSW) and a Graduate Gerontology Certificate (GNRC). As she approaches her graduation in Spring 2025, Samantha is eagerly anticipating the start of her new career in medical social work, with a focus on supporting older adults.