Erickson School Comes of Age
For a U.S. population that is living longer and healthier, the Erickson School at UMBC is “the right school with the right topic in the right location,” said Erickson School professor Joseph Gribbin.
Combining the study of aging with courses on management and policy means the school’s 341 undergraduate and graduate students receive a multidisciplinary education that is a model for other colleges and universities.
“Aging isn’t a bubble,” said Judah Ronch, who was recently named interim dean of the Erickson School. “This program requires multiple perspectives and collaboration. Students enrolled in our courses don’t have to major in the subject. It’s just about opening our eyes to major social issues.”
UMBC’s leadership position in aging studies was sparked by John Erickson, the founder and chairman of Erickson Retirement Communities. Five years since launching with a $5 million gift from Erickson, student enrollment in all the school’s programs is strong and growing.
The school is offering new courses in entrepreneurship, diversity, mental health and increasing use of online resources. An online version of Aging 100 was launched this fall, and Aging 200 and Aging 300 will be online by spring 2010. And the school’s graduate program is now eligible for financial aid.
The school’s fall executive education offerings also have been re-tooled for a broader market – from junior management to upper level executives. And the most popular executive education offering, Business and Finance, will address immediate economic realities in the seniors housing and care markets.
Another nontraditional key for growth at the Erickson School is its use of social media as a recruiting tool, weaving blogs and video into more traditional media outreach.
“Our blog, ChangingAging.org, gives us a global presence and uses a variety of multimedia,” said Bill Thomas, a professor at the school. “It’s driven by what we think is going on and how it’s going to play out.”
The school’s new leadership is ready to capitalize on its momentum and the power of the nation’s changing demographics. Aging studies presents “the greatest opportunity of the century,” Thomas said. “I foresee a day when UMBC is known for [aging studies] like it is for science, engineering and technology.”
For more information on the Erickson School, visit http://www.umbc.edu/Erickson.
This story appears in the Fall 2009 issue of UMBC Magazine.
(9/11/09)
