Department of Gerontology

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1 Education for the 21st Century Department of Gerontology Inside This Issue: In Memoriam David A. Peterson, PhD In Memoriam Professor Emeritus May 2012 University of Southern California Graduates Meet Our Students GERO News Sigma Phi Omega Dual Degrees Spring Online Courses From the Advisor/Coordinator Mark your Calendar In 1972, Dr. David Peterson became the founding Director of the Gerontology Program at the University of Nebraska Omaha. A small academic program was developed in , offering a four-course undergraduate Certificate in Gerontology and a five-course, graduate level Certificate to people who had received scholarship through the Title V Career Training Grant. The course offerings expanded as people were added to the faculty, and there were over 100 gerontology students not all of whom received grant support by 1977, the year that the Board of Regents gave its approval for UNO to grant the Certificates. The Gerontology Program had formed an alliance with Teacher s College at UNL, thanks to Dr. Peterson and others, to cooperate in the offering of doctoral degrees for people who wanted to specialize in gerontology. This arrangement has continued over the years. It is now call the PhD in Human Sciences with a Specialization in Gerontology, a specialization recognized and approved by the Graduate College. Dr. Peterson left UNO in 1978 to become director of the Leonard Davis School of the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California. He served in leadership positions at USC from In this capacity he established a PhD in Gerontology making it the first of its kind in the U.S. In addition to his work at USC, Dr. Peterson served as the President of The Association for Gerontology in Higher Education and the California Council of Gerontology and Geriatrics. We are indebted to Dr. Peterson and all of our former colleagues who have paved the way for our department to become a leader in gerontological education in Nebraska and beyond. Fall 2012 Colloquium Adapted from the history of the Department of Gerontology by James A. Thorson, Ed.D and from an announcement from the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education.

2 Education for the 21st Century May 2012 Gerontology Certificate/Honors Ceremony Congratulations! Left to right: Kelsey Freed, UNO, Marilyn Klinkacek, UNO, Susan Siebler, UNO, Melissa Hohenstein, UNL, Jessica Andersen, UNO, David Piontek, UNO, Cheryl Frickel, UNO, Mona Lisa King-Ward, UNO, Nicole Dertzo, UNO, and Jennie Prokupak, UNO. Not pictured: Bede Bolin UNL, and Hanna Stadsvold, UNL. 2

3 Education for the 21st Century MEET OUR STUDENT Bhavini Gopaldas UNL Gerontology Minor I am a senior Biology major with Gerontology and Humanities in Medicine minors. The first Gerontology class I took was Death and Dying with Dr. Masters, which made me realize the importance and role geriatric studies play, especially in the helping professions. After taking Introduction to Gerontology and Programs and Services with Dr. Kelly, I decided to minor in Gerontology. Currently I am working on my honors research project with Dr. Masters and Dr. Kelly and it is about bad news communication between doctors and patients. I am also taking Health Aspects of Aging with Dr. Haefele, who is a physician practicing and teaching in Lincoln. It is a unique experience being taught by a medical doctor and it adds to the experience of learning, as he is able to give us real life examples and case studies of concepts we are covering. Overall, the Gerontology department has not only allowed me to gain knowledge about the elderly and the programs and services that affect them, but the professors are wonderful mentors who are willing to invest extra time and energy to make sure that I am a successful student. A minor or certificate in Gerontology is an excellent option for anyone who wants to go into a helping profession such as medicine because a significant portion of our population is and will be the elderly, and these classes are excellent resources to help students prepare for the future. 3

4 Education for the 21st Century MEET OUR STUDENT Sandra Espinosa Master s Social Gerontology I was born and raised in the musical capital of Colombia, Ibague. After high school I pursued my bachelor degree in Fashion Design, and then I studied Architecture Interior Design. It was about this time that my father was diagnosed with and soon passed away from kidney disease. After my father s death, I re-evaluated what I wanted to pursue academically. It took me two years to finally decide to come to the United States and learn English through UNO s ESL program, and now I am in the Gerontology master s program because I have learned that I like to help others. While I was working in Colombia as a volunteer I discovered through people s faces how much I enjoyed working with people. I discovered the ability to take care of people, as I did with my father when he was in his last stages of kidney disease before he died. It was after that I decided to help people with this kind of illness to show them that somebody cares about them. I am a person who likes challenges, I am not afraid of change and I am always willing to help and assist those in need. I am a dreamer, an optimist, an enterprising and sensitive person. It was only after the death of my father that I woke up, to this talent of service to assist people in the health field, then I understood the great value of being able to help those in need. I linked to a foundation for cancer patients that was very rewarding and something that helped me grow as a person and understand God's mercy through the organization. I began this journey with many dreams and eager to start a new life, to seek a new direction and improve all aspects of my life. Moving to the U.S., tackling the educational objectives I have, and being away from family has been a challenge. It isn t easy, but when I have a goal I want to reach in life, I will always find a way to make my dreams come true. I am in my last year of the gerontology masters program and hope after I finish to be able to find a job in the field of Gerontology. 4

5 Education for the 21st Century GERO Graduate Students A meeting was held on September 24, for the graduate students. Dr. Masters welcomed everyone and Drs. Kosloski, Kelly, Kercher, Holley and Quinn explained some changes in the programs and answered questions that the students had. Some of our master s and doctoral students are pictured above. WELCOME Jennifer Lagemann our student worker. Jennifer is doing a great job helping the faculty. Jennifer is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Social Gerontology program. 5

6 Education for the 21st Century Sigma Phi Omega, Upsilon NU National Academic Honor and Professional Society in Gerontology Sigma Phi Omega welcomed the new Executive Committee in August, David Piontek was elected President, Kristy Carlson is Vice President of Administration, and Marcia Adler is Vice President of the Athletes and Elders Program and Poetry Across Generations program. David is currently a graduate student in the Masters of Social Gerontology program. Kristy is a graduate student in the doctoral program specializing in Gerontology and also teaches gerontology classes on both the UNO and UNL campuses. Marcia is a graduate student in the doctoral program specializing in Gerontology and is employed at UNO as the Director of Health Services. On August 17, Sigma started the new school year with a "Lift Off" event of the Athletes and Elders Program. Local media and community partners enjoyed refreshments and learned more about our plans for the upcoming year. The new committee welcomes your ideas and participation in the school year! In August 2012, Sigma Phi committee began major recruiting and marketing efforts to increase membership in the organization and participation in one of our major programs, Athletes and Elders. This effort saw Sigma Phi members recruiting students looking for service opportunities, and to learn more about the field of Gerontology. We are very pleased to announce Lakelyn Hogan has volunteered to manage the monthly Athletes and Elders newsletter. In September 2012, Sigma Phi Omega participated in the Chuck Powell Lecture Series held at UNO. Sigma Phi recruited volunteers to manage and participate in these functions and we look forward to more exciting lectures by leaders in the field of Aging. David Piontek, President 6

7 Education for the 21st Century Dual Degree/Certificate Program in Gerontology and Law The department of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Omaha and the College of Law at the University of Nebraska Lincoln are partnering to meet the needs of future aging adults and their families by offering a dual degree/certificate program. The joint program with the College of Law has been approved by the University of Nebraska Board of Regents; authorization by the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education is expected by November 1, Beginning in Fall 2012, students interested in the fields of Law and Gerontology will have the option to pursue one of three joint programs: Master of Arts in Social Gerontology/Juris Doctor (J.D.) Master of Arts in Social Gerontology/Master of Legal Studies Graduate Certificate in Gerontology/J.D. For more information about offerings through the Gerontology Department, please call in Omaha, in Lincoln or visit our website at 7

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9 Education in the Twenty-First Century You may have noticed we are offering more on-line courses each semester. Interest in distance education is growing for our department and in the field of gerontology. As a program with a statewide mandate to serve all of Nebraskans, offering online courses for those beyond Omaha and Lincoln provides prospective students with a thought-provoking and enriching experience to learn about the aging process. We know some of you have benefited from this opportunity and we are working to offer you more courses to choose from in the future. Thanks to the generosity of University of Nebraska Online, the Department of Gerontology has received funding to replicate the undergraduate and graduate certificates and the Master of Arts in Social Gerontology as an online option for students living outside Omaha and Lincoln. We are working with our colleagues in distance education to promote our offerings beyond our state borders. We look forward to having people outside of Nebraska joining our ranks of successful graduates. In addition to funding from University of Nebraska Online Worldwide, The Vetter Foundation and Terry Haney have partnered with us in further developing distance education. We appreciate their generosity and support of our efforts as we move our department into the 21st century. Information about our online offerings may be found at 9

10 Education for the 21st Century Spring 2013 Online Courses Class/ Call # Course I.D. Course Title UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA - OMAHA Instructor GERO Introduction to Gerontology Dr. Amy Hanson GERO Death & Dying Dr. Stan DeViney GERO Issues in Aging: Mgt & Admin Prgms Ann O'Connor GERO Health Aspects of Aging Shandalee Ramet GERO Gerontology Practicum Dr. Priscilla Quinn GERO Baby Boomers & 21st Century Karen Shaffer GERO Issues in Aging: Mgt & Admin Prgms Ann O'Connor GERO Health Aspects of Aging Shandalee Ramet GERO Gerontology Practicum Dr. Priscilla Quinn UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA LINCOLN 8794 GERO Intro to Gerontology Paul Falkowski 8792 GERO 200X-900 Intro to Gerontology Paul Falkowski 8781 GERO Issues in Aging: Housing Karen Shaffer 8793 GERO 435X-900 Issues in Aging: Housing Karen Shaffer 8782 GERO Issues in Aging: Housing Karen Shaffer GERO Applied Social Gerontology Dr. Chris Kelly 8773 GERO Gerontology Practicum Dr. Priscilla Quinn 8778 GERO Gerontology Practicum Dr. Priscilla Quinn 10

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13 Education for the 21st Century From the Advisor/Coordinator s Desk Priscilla M. Quinn, PhD Greetings everyone! I hope the semester is going well for all of you. Fall has definitely arrived and the beautiful colors of the trees and the cooler weather serve as a reminder that it is time for me to put away my flip-flops and bring out my fall clothes. Nebraska really is a great place to be in the fall! I want to extend a warm welcome to all our new students we are delighted to have you in our program. As a reminder, please make sure your , address, phone, etc., information is current. Periodically I receive information regarding career opportunities in the aging field and I want to be able to pass those options on to all of you. Are you pursuing a graduate certificate in gerontology? Graduate students must apply to the office of graduate studies. This can be done online at: If you are planning on graduating in December 2012 please contact me so we can discuss the next steps. While there is no formal procedure, it is useful for us to review your file to ensure you have fulfilled all of the requirements for the program. Please note practicum experiences must be scheduled at least two months in advance. If you are planning to start your practicum in spring 2013, NOW is the time to visit with me. Please contact me to schedule an appointment to discuss requirements. I am on the UNO campus 3 days a week and the UNL campus two days a week. Considering graduate school? The department of gerontology has a Thesis and Non-Thesis option for our Master of Arts in Social Gerontology check it out! As always, don t hesitate to call, or stop by my office, I enjoy visiting with all of you. Priscilla Office : UNO / UNL or pquinn@unomaha.edu 13

14 Education for the 21st Century Mark Your Calendars GERO Certificate/Honors Ceremony: December 5, 11:30 a.m. UNO CPACS Room 132. Formal Invitations will be mailed to all students graduating and/or completing the certificate. National Careers in Aging Week: April 7-13, 2013 UNO Careers in Aging Week April 2-4, Details of activities TBA. Aging with Passion & Purpose 2013 Conference: October 20 & 21 Focus on Technology and Aging. DEPARTMENT OF GERONTOLOGY FALL 2012 COLLOQUIUM A Journey in Leadership with Guest Speaker Kim Moore, RN, MSN President and CEO Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center Wednesday, October 31st 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. UNL City Campus Union Heritage Room Department of Gerontology Education for the 21 st Century For more information please call: