What is the role of higher education institutions in preparing students to live and work in an aging society? How can we create reciprocal, mutually beneficial learning experiences for students and older adults? With support from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Generations United is working with Michigan’s colleges and universities to develop high-quality intergenerational teaching and learning opportunities that combat ageism, build generational empathy, reduce social isolation, and foster collaborative approaches to addressing complex societal challenges.
Join us Tuesday, June 11 from 1:00-2:00 pm Eastern for this webinar where we will share the findings from a new report that provides a framework for intergenerational teaching and learning, highlights examples of current practices in Michigan, and identifies challenges, promising practices, and opportunities for deepening and expanding intergenerational learning in Michigan. We hope you can join us for this important webinar.
Speakers include:
- Natalie Galucia, LMSW, Washington University, When I’m 64: Transforming Your Future
- Adam J. Greteman, PhD, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Generation Liberation
- Nancy Z. Henkin, PhD, Generations United (click for bio)
- Alicia Jones, PhD, OTR/L, Eastern Michigan University, Digital Connecting Corps
- Lauren Lowe, MFA, Drexel University, Writers Room and Second Story Collective
- Heather Renter, PhD, Heritage Community of Kalamazoo
- Kari Sederburg, Michigan Health Endowment Fund
- Sheri Steinig, Generations United
Biographies:
Natalie Galucia, LMSW is a licensed social worker in the state of Missouri and has a passion for working with older adults. She is currently the Center Manager for the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging at the Institute for Public Health at Washington University, where she most enjoys working on the WashU for Life Initiative. WashU for Life is an initiative that seeks to increase age inclusivity across the campuses of WashU. She takes pride in working on DEI efforts at the University and bringing more awareness to age as part of our identity and ageism. Ms. Galucia is trained national facilitator with the National Center to Reframe Aging. She received her Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis. At Washington University, she concentrated in Gerontology with an emphasis on policy.
Adam J. Greteman, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Art Education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is the author of Queers Teach This! Queer and Trans Pleasures, Politics and Pedagogues (Bloomsbury, 2024), Sexualities and Genders in Education: Toward Queer Thriving (Palgrave-MacMillan, 2018), and the co-author of On Being Liked: Queer Subjects and Religious Discourses (Myers Education Press, 2021) and The Pedagogies and Politics of Liking (Routledge, 2017). Greteman is the co-founder of the LGBTQ+ Intergenerational Dialogue Project, a school community partnership that brings together LGBTQ+ younger and older folks for sustained intergenerational dialogues. Further information about the project can be found at: generationliberation.com
Alicia Jones, PhD, OTR/L, is an assistant professor in Eastern Michigan University’s Occupational Therapy Program and has been a practicing clinician since 2013. She graduated from Wayne State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, and a PhD in Kinesiology. Her specializations include older adults and individuals with neurological conditions, with a primary focus on enhancing occupational performance and preventing further decline. Her primary and current research focus is investigating novel interventions in older adults with chronic conditions in order to enhance functional capacity and improve overall quality of life.
Lauren Lowe, MFA is a writer and a teaching artist from Philadelphia, PA. She has been part of Writers Room, a university-community literary arts program, since she was 19 and an undergraduate at Drexel University. Over the last ten years, she’s held various staff roles there; currently, she teaches the Writers Room Experience course and works as Managing Editor for their annual Anthology publication.
Heather Renter, PhD, is the Director of Education and Research at Heritage Community of Kalamazoo. In her current role, she merges her cross disciplinary expertise in gerontology, public health, adult and intergenerational learning, and contemplative practices. She oversees the growth and development of the Memory Care Learning Center, an innovative initiative to provide education, lifelong learning, and support for people living with memory loss, their families and loved ones. She also directs leadership development, training, and research efforts to catalyze, develop and implement programs of excellence in memory care. As a former Associate Professor, and a certified mindfulness instructor, Heather blends practical teaching and research experience with contemplative practices to develop intergenerational, lifelong learning courses and programs that build and promote socio-emotional intelligence and wellness among memory care professionals, care-partners, and people living with memory loss. Heather serves as an age positive speaker, educator and facilitator for local and national audiences on topics and issues related to care-giving, intergenerational teaching and learning, spirituality, self-care, and adult and lifelong learning within the context of ageing and late life memory loss and dementia.
Nancy Henkin, PhD, Senior Fellow, Generations United (click for bio)