Meet Our Leadership Team!
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Clare LuzDr. Luz, PhD, Associate Professor, Family and Community Medicine, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine, Spartan Alum, and Founding Director, AgeAlive, is a gerontologist whose research focuses on quality of life for vulnerable older adults, long-term care health services, particularly the eldercare workforce shortage, and the intersection of aging, health, and the arts. She is also the founding director of IMPART Alliance, an organization dedicated to helping MI build an infrastructure that expands and supports direct care workers (DCW). She Co-chairs both the statewide MDHHS DCW Advisory committee and the statewide MI DCW Coalition. Dr. Luz has served on the Michigan Long-Term Supports and Services Advisory Commission, the Michigan Society of Gerontology board, and the National Quality Forum’s Home and Community-Based Care Committee.
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John WallerDr. John Waller, Associate Professor of the History of Medicine, received his B.A. in Modern History and his M.Sc. in Human Biology from the University of Oxford, his M.Sc. in History of Science and Medicine from Imperial College, London, and his Ph.D. in the History and Philosophy of Science from University College, London (in 2001). Following his graduate work, he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard and as a Research Fellow at University College, London, and then became a Lecturer in History of Medicine at the University of Melbourne (Australia). Since 2006 he has been a history professor at Michigan State University whose research has largely focused on medical science and social history. He has published seven books on these topics and is currently trying to complete a history of ‘them-and-us’ distinctions from ancient Mesopotamia to the present. Since 2013 he has been Director of the Social Science Scholars Program, an initiative designed to provide diverse cohorts of able and committed students extra opportunities for academic success and community engagement.
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Kelly ArndtKelly Arndt is a graduate of Central Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Applied Arts and Minor in Marketing. In 1992 she was hired as the director for the East Lansing Older People's Program, now East Lansing Prime Time. Throughout her distinguished career, Kelly has worked hard to improve the lives of our communities senior members. Kelly reminds us that growing older can be a wonderful experience as long as we remember the key word is “growing.”
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Lori STromLori has a BS in Gerontology/Community Services and Public Affairs from the University of Oregon, and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Western Michigan University. She retired from MSU’s WorkLife Office in 2018 from the role of Lifespan and Family Services Coordinator. Since her retirement, the WorkLife Office has retained Lori as a consultant to support the mission and initiatives of AgeAlive. Lori continues to serve on the AgeAlive Leadership Council and volunteers as a Board Member of the Helping Hands Respite Care Agency and is a member of the City of East Lansing Age Friendly Community Steering Committee. She enjoys her time outdoors camping, boating, biking, hiking, gardening, X Country skiing and playing with her dog Yogi and life partner Bill. She is most proud of her two sons Jeremy and David who are both Spartans and graduated from the College of Engineering.
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Jenn ArbogastJenn serves as the Academic Advisor for the Social Science Scholars Program, helping students find their career path and navigate MSU with all that it has to offer. The best part of her job is getting to know students well in order to match them with activities and organizations like the Senior Ambassador Program.
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Lisa RicheyLisa has worked as Prime Time's program manager for six years, organizing programs and events that focus on active, holistic aging. She serves on the City of East Lansing's Age-Friendly Steering Committee and is grateful for the chance to collaborate with student, staff, and faculty leaders from MSU's College of Social Science and AgeAlive to help make meaningful connections between elders and young adults.
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Emily SaxonEmily Saxon graduated from MSU in May 2021 with a B.S. in psychology and minors in public health and Spanish. She intends to begin a master's degree in social work in Fall 2022, with career interests in non-profit leadership, prevention programming, and community advocacy. Her passion for the intersection of the provision of social services and evidence-based practices led to her involvement with the Senior Ambassadors Program and motivated her to take on specific roles in best-practice research and program evaluation. Emily has loved working with the local senior community and developing strong relationships with City of East Lansing staff, MSU faculty, and fellow students. She is grateful for the way each of the collaborating parties in the Senior Ambassadors Program came together with such enthusiasm and dedication to developing the program, especially in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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STELLA WEINBERGStella is a senior studying Sociology and Psychology with a minor in Peace and Justice Studies. She is a member of the Social Science Scholars Program. In addition to her involvement with the Senior Ambassadors Program, she is working with the City of Flint to develop a resource guide to help citizens who need aide navigate the city's institutions. Some of her favorite hobbies include running, biking, and sewing.
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Isabel JohnIsabel John is a senior at MSU majoring in psychology with a pre-medical focus and a minor in women and gender studies. She hopes to attend medical school to become a psychiatrist. In her free time, she works at Sparrow Hospital as a patient care technician in the Neuro ICU and helps the recruitment and training team for the senior ambassador program. She is also researching mental health stigma and how to best reduce that stigma.
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Kate FriedenKate is a senior studying Psychology with a minor in Cognitive Science, and she is a member of the Social Science Scholars program. Outside of her involvement with the Senior Ambassador Program, she is a part of the Honors College Activities Board and MSU’s Neuroscience Club at school. Her favorite areas on campus are around West Circle and Beaumont Tower.
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Shweta AdsulShweta Adsul is a sophomore at MSU majoring in Psychology. She’s an international student from India and is a member of the Honors College and the Social Science Scholars program. She aspires to get a PhD in clinical psychology or attend medical school to become a psychiatrist. Besides volunteering at SAP, she is involved with the Health Promotion department at MSU to conduct a research that identifies trends in the use of e-cigarettes on campus. She also works as an Intercultural Aid at MSU’s MRULE-ICA program which fosters community building and supports students in their college transition. Hiking, running, listening to music, and watching true-crime documentaries are some of her favorite pass times.
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Tyler HoGuetTyler Hoguet is a senior at MSU is studying Political Science with minors in Fish and Wildlife, Public Policy, History, and International Development. Tyler is passionate about natural resources policy, and the intersection between economics, policy, and the environment. During his time at MSU Tyler has worked on research projects on the Courts and State Park systems, and after graduation Tyler intends on attending law school and studying to become an environmental attorney. In his free time Tyler enjoys watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball, MSU sports, hiking, and fishing.
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Wisdom HenryWisdom Henry is a Honors College student double majoring in History and Urban Planning. At Michigan State University, she has conducted her own award winning independent research project and has worked as a research assistant to produce a manuscript that is under peer review in the Journal of Urban Affairs. This study fortified Wisdom’s interest in studying low-income African American communities in the early 20th century. In addition to her ambitious academic endeavors, Wisdom is actively involved in several community building organizations. She hopes to attend Columbia University to obtain a PhD in US History.
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MEET Graduated Student Leaders!
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Erykah BensonErykah Benson was a founding student memer of the Senior Ambassador Program from 2020-2021. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Social Science from Michigan State University in 2021. Erykah developed the training protocols for incoming student volunteers and seniors participating in the Senior Ambassador Program under the supervision of Prime Time Seniors Program. During the program's pilot year, she ensured that orientation protocols fulfilled grant requirements and communicated program updates to grantors. Erykah is currently a first-year predoctoral student studying Sociology and Demography at The University of Michigan under the fellowship of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).
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