Ready to Lead Where It Matters Most?

Step Into the Future of Aging Services: Apply now to UNCF’s 2025-2026 Aging Services Leadership Fellowship.

Ever caught yourself scrolling through job boards, wondering if there’s something better out there? What if your next career move can’t be found on Indeed or LinkedIn, but is waiting in a place you haven’t considered yet?

Maybe you’ve already pivoted once or twice, updating your resume to match opportunities in different fields. One year, you’re working in legal at a start-up; the next, you’re managing community initiatives for a local government. Different missions, different settings, but your leadership skills continue to open doors.

Fast forward five years. You’re experienced, capable, but still searching for something more meaningful, something purpose-driven. Your next step could be leading in a field you’d never considered before: aging services.

UNCF’s Aging Services Leadership Fellowship was created to help young professionals discover this path and grow into leadership roles. You don’t need a healthcare background to apply, just the drive to learn, lead and help others.

Opportunity is Knocking: A Conversation with Roger Myers

Roger Myers, president and CEO of Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM), a nonprofit, faith-based organization and premier provider of senior living and services, helped to start UNCF’s Aging Services Leadership Fellowship.

The fellowship is a one-year, in-person, nonclinical program designed for two core groups:

• recent master’s graduates ready to apply their education in a real-world leadership setting
• midcareer professionals with five or more years of experience who want to bring their transferable skills into a new and essential field

This immersive in-person fellowship offers a rare opportunity to lead, grow and make a measurable impact in a sector that is evolving rapidly and in urgent need of diverse, forward-thinking leaders.

With the rise of virtual work, Myers explained why the fellowship remains in person. “We designed this to give fellows a true, immersive leadership experience,” he said. “That means walking in the shoes of a CEO, being in the room for strategic discussions, joining board sessions and witnessing real-time decision-making. That’s not something you can replicate virtually. We want fellows involved in everything we do internally, because that’s what prepares them to lead.”

Why Aging Services? Why Now?

Aging services is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the United States. As the population ages, there’s an urgent need for leaders, especially from underrepresented backgrounds who bring fresh ideas, lived experience and a commitment to equity in care.

Unfortunately, many professionals don’t see themselves in this field. Not because they aren’t qualified, but because they haven’t been shown how much their experience matters.

This fellowship is changing that.

The Visionaries Behind the Program

Myers, an early champion of the program, shared why PVM was one of the first to join. “In aging services, there hasn’t been a program like this, especially one focused on cultivating diverse leaders from nontraditional backgrounds,” he said. “Even if just a few providers participate at first, that’s okay. It has to start somewhere, and we’re proud to help pave the way.”

Why does the field need workers from other sectors? “There’s immense potential for innovation and creativity in aging services, especially from professionals with different lived experiences and career paths,” Myers said. “This is a high-growth field that needs fresh ideas and inclusive leadership. People from tech, government or community organizing bring exactly the perspective and energy we need.”

UNCF is With You Beyond Graduation

At UNCF, our work doesn’t end with scholarships or internships. We support you through your entire professional journey, especially at pivotal career moments. If your goal was to be the first in your family to graduate college, we want to help you plan what comes next.

This fellowship is part of that mission: helping you discover meaningful careers and giving you the tools to lead with purpose.

If you’re feeling stuck, unsure about your next step or just ready for something new, this could be your moment.

Take a fresh look at your experience—chances are, you already have the skills to lead in aging services. With the right guidance and opportunity, your next five years could look completely different.

UNCF’s Aging Services Leadership Fellowship is your chance to explore a purpose-driven career, grow as a leader and make a real impact. Apply now