Scholarship money is vital for nursing students, easing financial burden and allowing students to focus on the rigors of their study. A huge shoutout and congratulations to Olivia Castiglioni, RN, AG-CNS, a recipient of the 2026-2027 Myrna D. Schlegel/AWARE (Alzheimer's Women's Association for Resources and Education) Scholarship.
The Myrna D. Schlegel Scholarship and The Dallas Foundation are providing this award to a worthy candidate who is devoting their career to gerontology. Established in 1999, the Myrna D. Schlegel/AWARE Scholarship was created to recognize Schlegel’s dedication and commitment to nursing care for elders.
Following in Schlegel’s footsteps, Olivia was awarded this scholarship for her demonstrated passion to build a career in caring for the elderly. Olivia's commitment to serving older adults began when she was in high school, working at a senior living community. This early experience led her to pursue a bachelor's degree in Neuroscience at UT Austin, deepening her understanding of the aging brain. This course of study inspired Olivia to return to UT to become a registered nurse.
Olivia is now completing a Master of Science degree in Nursing at UT Austin in the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track. Beyond her studies, Olivia serves as a student advisory committee member to the Johnson-Turpin Center for Gerontological Nursing. This scholarship will help to ease the economic burden of higher education and provide more time for Olivia to focus on her clinical rotations with Austin Geriatric Specialists and Hospice Austin.
"I am deeply grateful for this scholarship, which honors older adults who first taught me the beauty of human life," Olivia said.
For more scholarship information, visit the Myrna D. Schlegel/AWARE Scholarship.