Ellis Waller and Lorie Eber, both Part-time Faculty members, who teach in Coastline’s Gerontology Program, attended a meeting in Philadelphia to share their experiences in implementing a “cutting-edge programs” to attract more baby boomer-aged students to community colleges to pursue “encore careers” in social services. The faculty members worked under a $25,000 MetLife Civic Ventures grant awarded to Coastline Community College; one of only 10 community colleges nationwide to receive such a grant. Coastline’s innovation was to distill “Mastery Skills” from Coastline’s Gerontology Certificate Program in just four evening classes, so that students could learn the predominant skills needed to work in careers, which require expertise in aging. During the grantee meeting, the participants exchanged information about their successes and failures in implementing their particular proposals and the challenges and opportunities that exist for community colleges in adapting to this unique group of students.
Report on Civic Ventures Grantee Meeting
Published: May 10, 2008Posted in: Conference Reports
Lorie Eber & Ellis Wallis, Coastline Community College