Building Student Skills and Belonging as Geroscience and Gerojustice Researchers Through a Longevity and Aging Research Education Program: A Qualitative Analysis

Addressing cumulative health disparities across the lifespan requires a scientific workforce trained at the intersection of geroscience and gerojustice. By integrating holistic academic and social support, an interdisciplinary Longevity and Aging minor, and scaffolded intramural and extramural research mentorship, the Katies for Aging Research and Equity (KARE) Program at St. Catherine University positions students to succeed as future aging researchers. To evaluate student growth, focus group transcripts, written reflections, Individual Development Plans, and student advocacy testimonials were examined. The qualitative analysis revealed three interconnected themes defining the scholar experience: (1) scholarly skill development, (2) belonging to a scholarly community, and (3) reframing longevity and aging. Beyond individual scholar growth, the KARE program has catalyzed broader institutional shifts, driving student-led research advocacy, interdisciplinary curriculum integration, and university-wide age-friendly initiatives. We offer a model for training future researchers to address complex health disparities in the intersecting fields of geroscience and gerojustice.