Kansas State University Center on Aging

Gerontology Newsletter May 2014

Note from the Director

It has been an amazing month here at the Center on Aging. Thank you so much to Dana Hunter,

Heath Rath and the Ambassadors and club officers for all the work they put into making all of our

events so very successful. If you were paying attention you may have learned about careers in

aging, successful aging, and personhood and dementia, among others. If you didn't, stop by our

office and we'll fill you full of information that you can ruminate on over the summer. Here's one

lesson that I'd like to leave you with before you go. Ruth Wells, 93, jumped out of an airplane on

Friday morning. It was something she'd been waiting to do for a long time and she was smart enough

to know that it is never too late. Be thinking now about what challenges you want to take on. What

things will you wish you had done when you reach the end of your years? I'm not just talking about

the normal, crazy risks like sky diving and surfing. I'm talking about stepping outside of your comfort

zone even if it is only to say hello to that nice looking elderly man sitting next to you on a park bench.

Have a wonderful summer! Gayle

Jana Miller Misha Modiri

Nicole Oliphant

Amanda Osarczuk

Julie Otto

Jazmin Richmond

Melissa Rousseau

Annamarie Sacco

Kelsi Schuckman

Jamie Smith

Andrew Talbert

Emily Wilson

! Lacey Farley Laura Gerber Kaylee Gripe Malerie Heinz Katelyn Hilger Mary Irsik Taylor Johnston Abby Katt Meghan Kelly Chelsy Lassiter Marilyn Leif Michelle Lewandowski

James Arpin Zach Boal Haley Bowers Kristen Brunkow Taylor Buessing Samantha Clements Montoya Coleman Daniel Collins Tiffany Defebaugh Kimberly Dillard Alyssa Drosselmeyer Justin Erk

Letter from the Advisor

About this time of the semester I’m usually full of reminders to graduating students -- remember

to complete our exit interview before you leave campus and make sure your diploma mailing

address is correct in iSIS. Soon it will be finals week and many of you will leave for the summer

for jobs, to visit family, for internships or to move on to additional school or your career.

Remember to stay connected to learning by seeking out good books this summer in your

spare time. Here’s some suggestions to get you started --- The Mature Mind: The Positive Power

of the Aging Brain by Gene Cohen, 2006; Now Discover Your Strengths by Buckingham and

Clifton, 2013; The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by

Stephen Covey, 2013. I’m sure you can come up with others as well.

We’ll be here all summer so please feel free to stop by to ask questions, chat, or just hang

out. Good luck with finals and have a great summer.

Pam

Senior Spotlight Julie Otto

Julie has been working at the Center on Aging since October

2011 as our Student Office Assistant. She is graduating this year

with a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and

her secondary major in Gerontology. She will be pursing her

Doctorate in Audiology at the Kansas University Medical Center

starting in the fall. She is currently the Vice President of the

Kansas State Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, a

member of Sigma Kappa Sorority, and the Membership Chair of

the Gerontology Club. She says that her secondary major in

Gerontology and participation in the Gerontology club has

given her so many exciting and educational opportunities. She

knows that her knowledge about aging and older adults will be

valuable in her future career because she will be interacting

with older adults with hearing losses often. She says that she is

so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with the

Center on Aging staff and will miss them very much.

2014-2015

Gerontology Ambassadors

Katlyn Smith: Freshman in Kinesiology/Gerontology

Katlyn chose a secondary major in gerontology because her dream job is to become a Physical

Therapist and work with the elderly. She has always had a close relationships with all of her

grandparents and many older citizens within her community. She encourages all students to select

gerontology as a secondary major so they can learn all of the positive things that come with it!

Sarah Truman: Junior in Life Science/ Gerontology

Sarah is a secondary major in gerontology because she loves older adults. She currently works at

Meadowlark and the further along she gets in her Gerontology studies, the more she loves what

she does. She knew that having a secondary major in gerontology would help her gain knowledge

of the aging person as well as develop a sense of respect for life at all ages.

Laura Haines: Junior in Public Health Nutrition/ Pre-Optometry/ Gerontology

Laura’s motivation to choose a secondary major in Gerontology was due to a want for a broader

knowledge base and a better understanding of the field to help her perform as a better

professional. She knows that as a future optometrist she will be interacting with older adults on a

daily basis so having some knowledge about them and the aging process will benefit her

optometry practices.

Maren Ozier: Sophomore in Life Sciences/ Pre-Med/Gerontology

Maren’s motive to work in a human service field is that she wants to act as an advocate for those

being served. She wonders how we are supposed to advocate if we remain uneducated about the

growing aging population. She loves when people ask her what gerontology is because it is not

only interesting, but essential. Her main goal is to raise awareness for what is happening in

gerontology and what the culture will look like when our generation starts our careers.

‘Ruth’s Jump

At 93 years old, Ruth Wells, resident at

Meadowlark Hills here in Manhattan,

completed her first skydive with her GERON

600 Seminar in Gerontology mentee, Paige

McMahon. The KSU Gerontology Club

chose to end the year skydiving because

this particular activity is often at the top of

most individuals' bucket lists. If you're

interested in joining the club, email

geronclub@ksu.edu. Next year's bucket

list activity is sure to leave its mark!

Age is just a number.

Kansas State University Center on Aging 253 Justin Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-0124 785-532-5945 Kansas State University is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation,

gender identity, religion, age, ancestry, disability, military status, veteran status, or other non-merit reasons, in admissions, education

programs or activities and employment, including employment of disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam Era, as required by

applicable laws and regulations. Responsibility for coordination of copliance efforts and receipt of inquiries concerning Title VI of the Civil

Rights Act of 1964. Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act

of 1975, and the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, has been delegated to the Director of Affirmative Action, Kansas State University,

214 Anderson Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506-0124. (Phone) 785-532-6220; (TTY) 785-532-4807.