Mission and Values

Vision

To be an inclusive and vibrant gerontological community, providing high-quality educational programs and empowering students to improve the lives of older adults and the aging experience.

MISSION

The mission of the Gerontology Program is to teach students to apply gerontological knowledge to enrich and enhance the lives of diverse older adults through inclusive, evidence-based practice. 

Goals

• To provide students with a broad and integrated perspective on aging through collaborative relationships with academic disciplines, community organizations, and businesses.
• To prepare students to be future leaders in a variety of settings serving the older adult community throughout the region, state, and nation.

Values

In carrying out the mission, the program is guided by the following core values:

• Student-Centered
  We value a student-centered learning experience that promotes academic success, professional development, and personal growth by empowering and supporting students throughout their educational journey.
• Justice-Oriented
  We value justice by cultivating a learning community committed to fairness, equity, and accountability—one that recognizes, honors, and embraces diverse aging experiences while addressing systemic inequities through advocacy and action.
• Interdisciplinary
  We value the interdisciplinary nature of gerontology by fostering relationships and partnerships across disciplines, both within and beyond the university, to address the complex and multifaceted issues of aging.
• Integrity
  We value integrity by supporting students’ ability to act with honesty and to uphold the highest moral and ethical standards in their personal, academic, and professional conduct.
• Community-Engaged
  We value community-engaged practices by creating learning environments that emphasize reciprocal, mutually beneficial partnerships and shared knowledge, fostering social responsibility toward older adults, their families, and communities.
• Competence
  We value professional competence in gerontology by teaching and fostering the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to work effectively with and on behalf of older adults.