The Promise and Peril of Running a Center/Program on Aging

Thursday, November 14, 2024

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

Location: Room 205

CE: 1.5

Chair(s)

Pamela Teaster, Ph.D., M.A., M.S. , NREMT (she/her/hers)

Professor & Director
Center for Gerontology
Virginia Tech.
BLACKSBURG, Virginia, United States

Co-Chair(s)

Pamela Saunders, PhD, FGSA (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor
Neurology Department
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Slides

Discussant(s)

Pamela Saunders, PhD, FGSA (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor
Neurology Department
Georgetown University
Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Slides

Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

Carlisle Shealy, Ph.D, MPH (she/her/hers)

Assistant Director
Center for Gerontology
Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology
Blacksburg, Virginia, United States
Christopher Kelly, PhD, FGSA (he/him/his)

Professor and Chair, Department of Gerontology
Gerontology
University of Nebraska Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska, United States

Gerontology centers abound across the country in various forms. Despite an unprecedented rise in the worldwide population of older adults, some programs flourish while others struggle. This symposium examines the promise of running gerontology programs as well as the perils of doing so.  Offering examples and insights, Dr. Pamela Teaster (Virginia Tech) will discuss how a nearly 50 year old gerontology center has morphed since its beginnings to planning for its 50th anniversary celebration. Dr. David Burdick (Stockton University) will present the long view of leading a gerontology program for 25 years and a center for 15 years, and along with Dr. Christine Ferri will discuss the experience of succession planning for both program and center.  Dr. Christopher Kelley (University of Nebraska at Omaha) describes the importance of partnerships with public and private stakeholders at the national, state, and local levels. Dr. Pamela Saunders (Georgetown University) will make observations about differences and common themes among the presentations.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this session, participants will be able to understand how four distinct gerontology programs flourish.
After attending this session, participants will be able to use participants' lessons learned to circumvent their own programmatic challenges with running a gerontology program.

Presentations:

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

Building Resilience and Grit in Higher Education's Own Climate Crisis
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Christine Ferri, PhD (she/her/hers) – Stockton University
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM PST

Forward With Fortitude: The Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology
Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Carlisle Shealy, Ph.D, MPH (she/her/hers) – Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology