The California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics has selected USC Davis School of Gerontology doctoral candidate Caroline Cicero to receive the 2008 David A. Peterson Student Achievement Award.

Presented annually to a graduate student in California for achievements in the fields of gerontology or geriatrics, the award recognizes contributions for original research leading to publication or peer reviewed articles, outstanding leadership with fellow students and involvement with elder service activities.

Over the past year, Cicero “has made outstanding contributions to the council,” said executive director Jolene Fassbinder. “She gets the value of the council and has made an effort to articulate it to people in other fields such as humanities, architecture and cinema.”

The California Council links academic institutions, administrators and students to legislators, service providers and older adults and their families. Cicero serves on the organization’s membership and marketing committee, leading outreach efforts to college campuses across California.

“I went to their conference in Long Beach last year, where they encouraged students to get involved and support the transition into the gerontology workforce,” Cicero said. “They gave the students a voice.”

The Student Achievement Award is named in honor of former USC Davis School director David A. Peterson, who along with the USC Davis School’s first dean, James Birren, helped found the California Council on Gerontology and Geriatrics in 1980.

“Dr. Birren told me he started the council to generate interest in gerontology as a concept and as an academic field in California,” Cicero said.

Using education to develop policy aimed toward the elder population, the council has maintained strong ties with USC faculty, administrators and students.

Maria Henke, assistant dean at the USC Davis School, was nominated to the board of directors as the private institution representative.

Other 2008 award recipients included USC alumnae Rosalie Gilford and Monika White. Past awardees include gerontology graduates Echo Chang and Debra Sheets along with former faculty members Fernando Torres-Gil and Phoebe Liebig.

Awards will be presented Friday at the organization’s annual meeting in Sacramento.