Engaging post-secondary students in a multidisciplinary aging studies interest group

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Higher Education
• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Student Engagement

Background:

• Limited understanding of student aging interest groups (AIGs) in post-secondary settings.
• Exploration of an AIG at a Canadian university lacking a formal gerontology program.
• Assessment of AIG awareness, interest, participation, and activity preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate awareness and interest in a student AIG.
• Determine participation factors and activity preferences.
• Understand the role of faculty and interdisciplinary connections.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach combining 13 years of administrative data (65 meetings).
• Survey of AIG members and non-member students (n=52) interested in aging.
• Analysis of awareness sources, faculty influence, and student demographics.

Main Results:

• Two-thirds of respondents were non-members; most lacked prior AIG knowledge.
• Faculty were the primary source of AIG information (77% of aware students).
• Attendance increased 27.3% with virtual meetings; workloads impacted participation.

Conclusions:

• Aging studies attract interdisciplinary student interest across various faculties.
• Faculty play a crucial role in promoting AIGs and aging research.
• Adaptable meeting formats and consideration of student schedules are key for AIG success.