15 Years Young: Ithaca College Gerontology Institute Celebrates Anniversary
Dave Maley, 10/31/2007
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ITHACA, NY—The
Ithaca College Gerontology Institute will mark its 15th anniversary of serving both the young and old on Thursday, November 1, with a celebration from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Clark Lounge, Egbert Hall. Members of the campus and local communities are invited to join the festivities, which will include a special recognition for anthropology professor
Joel Savishinsky for his many contributions to the study of gerontology.
“Much like the population we serve, we have come a long way over these past 15 years and we still have a great deal to look forward to,” said
John Krout, the Gerontology Institute’s first and only director. “From establishing academic programs to conducting research activities to building relationships between and among our students, faculty and local elders, the institute has been an unqualified success.”
The Gerontology Institute was founded in October 1992 with support from an anonymous donor, with the mission to become “a leader in undergraduate gerontology education through nationally distinctive programs.” In the ensuing years, the institute has accomplished that and more. Among the highlights cited by Krout:
- A major and a minor in aging studies, a certificate with courses offered on campus and a largely online-based certificate, which is being implemented this fall.
- Distinguished speakers, visiting scholars, workshops and annual conferences that have brought an array of notable gerontologists and policy makers to campus. In October, the institute hosted the firstNew York State Rural Aging Summit.
- Institute faculty and staff have garnered significant external funding to support curriculum development, student-faculty research, and community education. These include the recently established Linden Center for Creativity and Aging, Pathways to Life Quality study, Finger Lakes Geriatric Education Center, and Gerontology Infusion in the Public Schools project.
- Some two dozen faculty members from across campus are regularly involved in gerontological teaching and research, and have assisted institute staff in developing an internationally recognized intergenerational partnership with Longview, a residential community for older adults located adjacent to campus.
The Charles A. Dana Professor in the Social Sciences, Savishinsky supported the study of gerontology on campus before the institute was established. He was one of the first recipients of a professional gerontology internship for faculty, and his course Aging and Culture has maintained a constant popularity with students. He is the author of “Breaking the Watch: The Meanings of Retirement in America” and “The Ends of Time: Life and Work in a Nursing Home,” both of which received the Gerontological Society of America’s prestigious Richard Kalish Innovative Publication Award.
Originally published in News Releases: 15 Years Young: Ithaca College Gerontology Institute Celebrates Anniversary.
