Ithaca College Gerontology Program Gets High Marks

By David Maley, November 17, 2016

Ithaca College Gerontology Program Gets High Marks

A website that ranks colleges and universities for being the best value in a variety of categories has listed Ithaca College at #2 in the nation for gerontology. Through its Gerontology Institute, Ithaca College offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees as well as a minor in aging studies.

According to Great Value Colleges, as the baby boomer generation continues to age, more career opportunities are becoming available for those who wish to work with the elderly population. The website notes that students looking for the right gerontology school should consider tuition costs and the potential return on that investment as well as program features.

In compiling their ranking, the editors used a methodology that awarded points for such factors as national awards and recognition, research and internship opportunities, innovative programs and/or teaching methods, affiliated centers and institutes, and related student organizations and societies. They applied this information to the 20-year net return on investment estimated by payscale.com to help determine those programs considered to provide the best value.

The listing by Great Value Colleges notes that Ithaca’s Gerontology Institute sponsors a distinguished speaker series on topics such as spirituality and aging and lifelong fitness; facilitates research projects and serves as a knowledge base for departments across the campus; offers service-learning projects and experiential learning opportunities for aging studies major; and has two student organizations: the Aging & Gerontologic Education Society (AGES) and an award-winning chapter of Sigma Phi Omega, the national gerontology honor society.

Joining Ithaca College in the top 20 for value were such institutions as the University of Southern California, University of Nebraska, Miami University and Case Western Reserve University.

Housed in the School of Humanities and Sciences, the Gerontology Institute was established in 1992 to serve as a campus and community resource that promotes and supports research, curriculum development, community education and community service activities in gerontology. Its partnership with Longview, an adult residential facility in Ithaca, provides members of both communities with opportunities to share intergenerational social and educational experiences.

For more information, visit www.ithaca.edu/gerontology