Wofford College, under the direction of Dr. Kara Bopp, for the 2nd year in a row, received a $12k grant from CIC (Council of Independent Colleges) and the AARP Foundation. In the 2017-18 academic year the grant paid a stipend to 12 student fellows who organized and led over 160 workshops that allowed 75+ Wofford students and 200+ low-income older adults to interact. In the 2018-19 academic year, the workshops will continue with 8 student fellows conducting workshops at 6 distinct locations.
Weekly 1-hour workshops allow younger and older adults to interact through simple conversation, writing or other art forms at community locations for 10 weeks during each of the fall and spring semesters.
At the end of the 2017-18 school year, the “int-gen” team held an exhibit for all participants that showcased the intergenerational relationships formed and the creative products from both age groups. The personal connections – within and across the age groups – supports the social, cognitive and emotional needs of the older adults while providing a civic engagement opportunity for students.
Dr. Kara Bopp, Associate Professor of Psychology, leads the project with the assistance of Ms. Jessalyn Story, Director of Center for Community Based Learning (CCBL).
More information about the Fellow program.
Dr. Kara Bopp:
boppkl@wofford.edu or 864-597-4645
Ms. Jessalyn Story:
storyjw@wofford.edu or 864-597-4403