Bert and Annabel Seidman Prize for Advancing Social Policy

The Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund has established the Bert and Annabel Seidman Prize for Advancing Social Policy, to be administered in collaboration with the National Labor College (NLC).

The prize is in memory of Bert and Annabel Seidman, whose lifelong passion for social justice and worker rights inspired their careers. Bert was the director of the AFL-CIO's Social Security Department for 33 years. After retiring, he was an expert consultant to the Alliance for Retired Americans and the National Council of Senior Citizens, specializing in Social Security, pensions, housing, and health care. Annabel, a teacher and social worker, founded the National Nursing Home Information Service and was its director for 25 years. She was a strong advocate for senior citizens and people with mental disabilities.

The purpose of the prize is to encourage NLC students who are interested in the aging field and advanced aging studies to research and analyze social policies that affect the older population. Research must be conducted as part of the student's Senior Block classes (i.e., Comparative Research Methods, Senior Seminar, and Senior Project) at the NLC. It must relate to key issue areas that affect retired or aging workers within or outside the United States. Topics may include general demographics, pension and financial challenges, health care, long-term care, transportation, housing, and/or other aspects of aging. The research must culminate in a senior thesis written by the student and accepted by NLC.

The Education Fund will select winners on the basis of recommendations from NLC faculty, as well as the impact or potential impact of the research on the aging field. The Education Fund and/or the NLC may publish and disseminate award-winning papers.

The prize will be awarded annually in June. The deadline for completion of senior theses is April 1.