March 8th Starts Six-Week Guided Autobiography (GAB) Course Led by National Expert:  
Stockton Undergrad Researcher Seeks Participants for Program Distinction Project 

Barbara Smith, M.A., Certified Guided Autobiography Instructor from the Birren Institute for Autobiographical Studies will lead a six-week Guided Autobiography Program (GAB) for SCOSA on Tuesdays from 1:30-3:30pm beginning on March 8th.  GAB leads participants through themes and priming questions on topics such as family, careers, and life’s goals. Participants write brief 1–2-page reflections on the themes as ‘homework’ and then share in small groups the following week.  Participants can choose to attend fully online or at two in-person locations (Stockton at Manahawkin or Stockton’s main Galloway campus).

Barbara has taught writing classes for the Birren Institute since 2013, has been an instructor for Oasis San Diego Lifelong Learning Institute since 2010, and has taught at the K-12 and community school level.  A journalist, her articles and photographs have been published nationally in numerous newspapers and magazines.

Research participants must be 60 years of age or older. Preference is given to residents of Atlantic or Ocean County, NJ but others 60 years of age or older are encouraged to apply and will be admitted on a space-available basis. Participants who choose in-person break-out sessions (at Stockton’s main campus in Galloway, or at Stockton at Manahawkin) must submit the online Stockton visitor health pledge for each session as per Stockton’s current COVID-19 policies. 

Those who wish to take the course but not participate in the research project may be admitted on a space available basis by contacting David.Burdick@Stockton.edu to inquire about availability and cost.  

To learn more or to register, please CLICK HERE. If you have questions, please contact SCOSA Director Dr. Burdick (David.Burdick@stockton.edu) or Nicole White (whiten10@go.stockton.edu). 

Stockton Age Friendly University (AFU) Column
by Karen Rose, Ph.D., SCOSA AFU champion; adjunct professor, Psychology and Health Science   

As Stockton University’s age-friendly champion, I would like to use this month’s newsletter to highlight one of the center’s newest age-friendly initiatives:  the Stockton Institute for Lifelong Learning (SILL).  This initiative began in 2020 with an aim of sharing Stockton faculty expertise and research with the community.  Since its inception, Stockton faculty have offered classes across a variety of disciplines including science, history, music, and art.    The format is one hour a week for four weeks, in zoom and in-person platforms, with a cost of $45.00.  Currently the fee is waived for Atlantic and Ocean County residents who are 60 years of age or older.   

Full disclosure:  I have been a staunch supporter of SILL for personal and professional reasons since it began.  Personally, the program has given me a chance to learn about things that I did not have the time to learn about in pre-retirement life and at this juncture, I can proudly boast that I have taken three classes!  Two poetry classes taken with Dr. Nancy Reddy have increased my understanding and appreciation of poetry and I now regularly start my day with a poem delivered to my inbox.  Dr. Carol Rittner’s history class on the role of churches in the Holocaust broadened my understanding of the forces that shaped WW II. I am currently enjoying my first course in art history with Dr. Kate Ogden.    

SILL classes allow me to engage with others with similar interests, and in most cases, I just need to show up, read interesting resources that are provided if I choose, and listen to expert faculty who enjoy what they do.  This is how I want to learn at this stage of my life:  no tests, papers, or worries about GPA—just pure learning, questioning, and discussion on interesting topics.   

On a professional level, SILL provides a context for lifelong learning—a concept you hear a great deal about in association with aging.  Learning across the lifespan has been shown to have physical benefits including reducing stress (especially reading), preserving memory and reasoning skills, and slowing cognitive decline.  It has also been linked to emotional benefits including increases in motivation and curiosity.   

Sound interesting and want to learn more?  Stoke your curiosity and contact TES  Michaelle.Cooke@stockton.edu or call 609-652-4311 and leave a message.  Hope to meet you in class!   

Stockton Institute for Lifelong Learning (SILL)
Friday, March 25, April 1, April 8, April 15; 9:30am - 10:30am
Connecting with the Teenagers in your life:  Psychosocial Development in Adolescence
Professor Kaite Yang
Online via Zoom
Tuition:  $45 for all 4 sessions; free for Atlantic County and Ocean County residents 60 years of age and older 

Adolescence is a time of biological change that rivals the speed and intensity of growth in the first few years of life. Included in this growth is brain development at the cellular and structural levels, with implications for cognition and behavior. This course will present an overview of current research on psychological development during a person’s teenage years. Topics of focus include brain maturation, cognitive development, social cognition, and risk-taking. We will explore the importance of social contexts in each of these processes of development. 

Instructor 

Kaite Yang is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of the Childhood Studies Minor at Stockton University. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at Princeton University and A.B. in Anthropology and Psychological and Brain Sciences from Dartmouth College. Previously, she worked in educational programming for children and adolescents as an AmeriCorps volunteer. Her research interests include social sensitivity, gender and depression, and multicultural learning. She teaches a variety of courses, including Adolescence, Psychology of Gender, Experimental Psychology, and Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination. 

ARGO Student Paper Reports on SILL Class 

The ARGO Student Paper sent a reporter to Professor Kate Ogden’s SILL class “From Thomas Cole to Henri Matisse: Famous 19th and 20th Century Painters.”  The report can be found here. 

SCOSA News Espcially for and about Students:

GERO COORDINATOR'S COLUMN
by Christine Gayda-Chelder, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, and SCOSA Service Chair  

Careers In Aging Week is approaching this Spring! Please stay-tuned for events at Stockton University the week of April 17-23, 2022. One event will be a panel discussion on “When Ageism and Racism Meet.” In the meantime, additional information may be found at https://www.geron.org/programs-services/careers-in-aging-week

Gerontology Minor and Internship

Stockton’s Gerontology Minor, established shortly after Stockton’s opening, is available to students from any major.  The program involves 20 credit hours, including two required courses, a required internship, and two electives.  Learn More Here. Internships at community agencies, organizations, or senior communities require careful advanced planning. Applications are now being taken for Summer and Fall placements. Do not delay, as preferred placements often fill early.  Click Here for details and application links.

Gerontology Club Report 

The Gerontology Club hand-crafted dozens of Valentine’s cards in February for local older adults. Pictured is Claire Moscarello in the Campus Center. 

More activities and events are coming, including a walk around Lake Fred for the Alzheimer’s Association and events for Careers in Aging week April 17-23. Please contact Faculty Advisor and Gerontology Minor Coordinator Dr. Gayda-Chelder with any questions at Christine.Gayda@stockton.edu. 

NJ Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (NJGWEP)

Congratulations to Stockton students Eliza Osborne and Mary Timney who recently submitted a poster, "Qualitative Health Assessment from Affordable Housing" for the American Geriatric Society (AGS) conference.  Their poster, co-authored with professors David Burdick, Lekha Prakash, and Megan Foti, was selected for presentation at AGS’s 2022 Annual Scientific Meeting scheduled for May 11-14, 2022 in Orlando, FL.

We have students from different disciplines doing 8 weeks rotation at Rittenberg and Stonegate since last year for the GWEP project under faculty guidance. Currently we have 4 students at Rittenberg and 4 students at Stonegate as part of this service-learning initiative in conducting health risk assessments, developing individual care plans and engaging in activities and trainings with the residents at the two sites.

Pictured above, Chef Andre Murphy of the Community Feeding Tour celebrates the tour’s milestone of 10,000 meals served.  The milestone was achieved at Rittenberg Manor (EHC), when he and volunteers served 200 meals recently.  O.C.E.A.N., Inc., also participated, signing up residents for their transportation program.  In January, SCOSA jointed both organizations as a provider agency, with Older Americans Act funding via the Ocean County Area Agency on Aging. 

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