Building our next generation of aging professionals: A review of the Ohio scholars in Aging Program

The Ohio Scholars in Aging Program (Scholars Program) is a collaborative effort between the Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education (OAGE) and the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA). The ongoing program admitted its first cohort in 2013 and is designed for students from any discipline who are pursuing an associate's, baccalaureate, or post-baccalaureate degree and are enrolled in an aging-related internship/practicum, service-learning experience, or are working on an applied research project. The goal of the program is to build Ohio's aging network and general workforce to meet the opportunities and challenges presented by an aging society. We present the development and evolution of the program (based in part on survey data from early cohorts' of alumni scholars); describe the student and organizational participants and current occupations of alumni scholars through 2024; and summarize key program challenges, successes, and lessons learned since the Program's inception. We conclude with recommendations for others who seek to prepare students to work with and on behalf of older adults and their families.