Galloway, N.J. – For Gina Maguire, teaching gerontology goes beyond coursework. It’s about connection.

She has been teaching at Stockton since 2012, creating opportunities for students to engage directly with older adults and challenge assumptions about aging. Through that work, she has helped foster meaningful intergenerational understanding.

Her efforts earned her the Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education’s Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty Honor, recognizing both her teaching and her impact in the field.

Below, she shares what the award means to her and how her journey has shaped her work.

What does this recognition mean to you personally and professionally?
I am honored to have been nominated and thrilled to have been chosen. My fondest memories are of spending time with my grandparents; I'm proud to introduce students to the wisdom and warmth of older adults. I have been teaching gerontology at Stockton since 2012 and am proud that my colleagues feel I am making a difference in the field.

How does your teaching or scholarship address misconceptions about aging or older adults?
In my courses, I do my best to shed light on aging stereotypes by directly involving students with older adults. Depending on the course, the intergenerational interaction varies from inviting older adults into the classroom for shared experiences to having students interview elders and engage in open discussions about their lives.

During the first week of class, I ask students about their thoughts on older people. The majority of comments are not positive. By the end of the course, feedback from both students and older adults shows a greater appreciation for one another and a desire to continue learning from each other, as ageism goes both ways.

What do you enjoy most about teaching at Stockton, particularly as an adjunct faculty member?
I truly love teaching. The best moment is when I see that light go on, when a student realizes learning about aging benefits their lives as well as their grades. I also enjoy the ability to rotate the classes I teach each semester and the opportunity to design new courses and redesign existing ones (Funding in Aging is coming soon).

Can you share a moment in the classroom or through your research that felt especially meaningful?
There are so many meaningful moments when teaching. When I show the film Lives Well Lived (which tells the stories of 48 older adults) each semester, I watch the students' reactions. Their faces light up, they laugh with the older adults and enjoy the stories being told.

Students learn firsthand about the interesting lives of the elders in the film and then interview older adult participants. Everyone has a story, and they all deserve to be told. The Lives Well Lived project opens the lines of intergenerational conversation.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in gerontology, aging studies or advocacy work?
Our population is aging. Having an interest and education in gerontology is a great benefit, as more positions in intergenerational and aging services will be needed. As I tell my Social Work majors, less than 5% of social workers want to work with elders — that means more job opportunities for those of us who do.

What’s next for you: any projects, research or goals you’re excited about?
Yes. With my Aging and the Family students and older adult community members, I am currently working on a Nutrition Guide for Older Adults. Topics include one-pan dinners, food categories and descriptions, local food pantries, Meals on Wheels programs, nutrition sites, money-saving recipes and more.

The guide will be shared at SCOSA's Annual Successful Aging Festival on May 8. I'm hoping to develop intergenerational projects each semester that benefit the community.

Was there a mentor, teacher or colleague, who inspired your path into this work?
How much time do you have? Yes, I have had many mentors who have inspired my love for gerontology; too many to name individually. My first mentors were my grandparents.

As an undergraduate student at Stockton, SCOSA's first director, David Burdick, introduced me to gerontology. I never knew I could work with and teach about older adults.

Christine Ferri, SCOSA’s director, hired me as an adjunct in 2012 and has been a wonderful mentor in the field, as well as very supportive of my intergenerational projects. I appreciate the entire GERO faculty; they are welcoming and encouraging in teaching about aging and more.

Reported by Mandee McCullough

Photo submitted