Top 10 benefits of
CAG-ACG Student Membership

1. Voluntary membership with the SC-CÉ.

Membership with the SC-CÉ includes informative e-messages, opportunities to engage in the discussion forum on hot topics in aging, and issues of concern to students on aging. Parts of the SC-CÉ website are only accessible by password, and as a CAG Student Member you can use your password to join in the discussions, read the latest minutes from SC-CÉ meetings and newsletter submissions. Your student membership also entitles you to join in the student luncheon at the Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting (ASEM) and the Annual General Meeting of student members. Costs for the student luncheon are subsidized by the CAG, which means savings to you. In addition, student membership is half the price of regular membership.

2. Opportunities to network with others interested in gerontology locally, nationally, and internationally.

We all know that it isn't often WHAT you know, but WHO you know that opens doors and presents opportunities. The opportunity to network with others who are interested in gerontology may help you find someone to do an individual study course with, someone to supervise you for your honours thesis, Master's program or PhD, and may open up employment opportunities. Some examples of networking opportunities are:

• Conferences. A list of current aging-related conferences can always be found on the SC-CÉ website!
• Meet your mentor at a Division lunch held at CAG conferences:

• Health and Biological Sciences
• Psychology
• Social Sciences
• Social Policy and Practice
• Educational Gerontology

• Join the Divisional Student Mentorship Program currently being created to link CAG members with SC-CÉ members. This program will formally link you with individuals in your field to take you 'under their wing' at conferences, help you learn how to publish and other exciting avenues in academia and professional positions.
• Up-to-date employment opportunities posted on the SC-CÉ website.
• Opportunities to connect with your provincial gerontology association.

3. CAG publications

Canadian Journal on Aging

• The Canadian Journal on Aging (CJAG) is a refereed, quarterly publication of the Canadian Association on Gerontology. CJAG publishes manuscripts on aging concerned with biology, educational gerontology, health sciences, psychology, social sciences, and social policy and practice. All student members receive bound copies of CJAG as part of your annual student membership dues. Compared to other student organizations that do not include journals in student rates, this is a great deal! Not only is each copy of the journal bound, but also every issue includes groundbreaking research contributions from Canadian and International scholars.

CAG-ACG Newsletter

• The quarterly CAG Newsletter provides local, national, and international news in the field of gerontology. Recurring features include:

• Members in the News
• Provincial News
• News from the Gerontology Centres
• Federal Government News
• New Publications
• Websites of Interest
• IAG Secretariat Update
• Student Connection
• Canadian Health Network Update
• CAG News

The newsletter will keep you up-to-date on news that you might not hear about otherwise. Through the newsletter, you can read about funding opportunities awarded to your peers and new and upcoming research projects. This information could link you with potential research opportunities and, possibly, opportunities to publish!

4. Opportunities to submit articles/information to the CAG-ACG Newsletter.

Student members can submit articles on funding and awards, research topics and other interesting news. This is a great opportunity to get your name recognized by your colleagues, future employers or supervisors.

5. CAG-ACG policy/position statements, electronic news flashes, and other information updates.

As a student member, you are eligible to receive two electronic updates to stay on top of current events for gerontology in Canada. There are two distribution lists, one from CAG and one from SC-CÉ. CAG sends messages periodically as the information arises and provides a means for the exchange of information regarding research, practice, and conferences. SC-CÉ has the second list. It is made up of students only. We send messages on the list about 4-5 times a year. These lists offer complementary messages so you are not receiving repetitive material and, instead, you are doubly informed!

6. Reduced conference rates.

CAG-ACG has long recognized the importance of a student presence at conferences. To reflect this, CAG offers reduced conference rates for students. For example student rates for non-members are $165 for the 2003 conference as opposed to $145 for students who are members. A savings of $20! Student events at each conference are listed in a separate area of the conference program. This helps students identify and plan for these events!

7. Travel grants for conferences and eligibility for scholarships.

Students with accepted abstracts at the CAG annual conference (ASEM) are given priority for travel grants, with highest priority given to students who must travel the greatest distances. In past years, and based on eligibility, these grants have reimbursed full conference fees and up to 75% of travel costs. CAG offers two scholarships annually to students who meet the criteria. See our website for important application forms.

8. Opportunities to get involved and make a difference.

Student members can have many roles ranging from committee work to positions on the executive. Student members also have the opportunity to influence policy-making on issues of aging.

9. Voting and nominating privileges as a CAG-ACG student member.

As a student member you have the opportunity to be elected to the SC-CÉ Executive Committee and to Student Representative positions. Executive Committee positions run for a two-year term and nominations are called on a rotating schedule six months prior to each election. Elections take place in the fall of each year and results are announced shortly after the ASEM. You can also attend the CAG annual meeting at the ASEM and participate as a voting member during that meeting.

10. It looks good on your CV.

And last, but not least, you can list your membership with CAG in the "Memberships and Affiliations" section on your CV. Do not underestimate the role that involvement in associations has when you are applying for scholarships, to graduate programs, and for jobs.

As a student member of CAG-ACG you are an automatic member of the Student Connection-Connexion Étudiante (SC-CÉ).

Please click here for the CAG-ACG Membership Application Form.

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