Author Note
Bradley J. Fisher, Department of Psychology and Gerontology, Missouri State University; Gloria J. Galanes, Department of Communication, Missouri State University.
Correspondence concerning this research note should be addressed to Bradley J. Fisher, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology and Gerontology, Missouri State University. Email: BradleyFisher@missouristate.edu
Abstract
The study discussed in this research note assessed participants’ responses to the Give 5 program, a civic matchmaking program in which volunteers learn about and are encouraged to volunteer at local nonprofits. Study participants were also asked general questions about successful aging. Of the 83 respondents, who were overwhelmingly positive about the program, 95% had recommended it to others, 81% were volunteering 4 hours per week on average, and 57% had given money to one or more agencies. Respondents indicated that the most important characteristics of successful aging were having a purpose, positive interactions with others, good health, opportunities for personal growth, and self-acceptance, as well as staying active. Participants reported that they were aging successfully and perceived a clear link between successful aging and volunteerism. The survey results strongly supported continuing the program, which benefits not only the participants, but also the larger community.
There has been growing interest in the concept of successful aging and well-being in later life as the number of older adults continues to climb during the current “graying of America.” Communities have begun focusing on how to harness the resources of older adults who are entering their retirement years, not just to benefit the community but also to help these older adults continue to feel integrated with and valued by the broader society.
The purpose of the study discussed in this research note was to assess whether there were benefits for retired individuals participating in the Give 5 program in Springfield, Missouri. This program introduces retired individuals to agencies that wish to recruit volunteers. This research explored the participants’ perceptions of the Give 5 experience, the meanings that these older adults attached to the idea of successful aging, and what they perceived to be the essential characteristics of aging well. Since the Give 5 program is about connecting older adults to volunteer opportunities, this study also examined perceived links between successful aging and volunteerism.
The following video link describes the Give 5 program in detail: http://oib.ojq.mybluehost.me/video-gallery/. Briefly, Give 5 matches participants—principally baby-boomer retirees aged 60 or older—with volunteer opportunities in nonprofit organizations in Springfield, Missouri. Over 5 program days, 1 day per week from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., classmates meet, socialize, learn about their community, and then board a shuttle to visit 23 different nonprofit organizations over the 5-week period. Once participants learn how the nonprofit organizations operate and what volunteer positions are available, they are encouraged to volunteer their time—at least 5 volunteer hours per month—to one or more of these organizations. In the program’s first year, organizers estimate that Give 5 participants contributed an estimated $300,000 in time value to area nonprofit organizations. As of June 2019, eight classes had participated in the program. This research note presents an assessment of the first five Give 5 classes.
Methods
This study, conducted in 2019, sought to identify the meanings older people attach to successful aging, links between successful aging and volunteerism, and perceptions of their experience going through the Give 5 program. Qualitative and quantitative data were gathered through an online survey sent to all participants in classes 1 through 5 (each class had from 16–24 participants). Of the 98 people contacted, 83 completed the survey questionnaire, representing a response rate of 85%.
Individuals were sent an online survey questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions which took approximately 25 minutes to complete. Respondents were asked questions designed to capture their understanding of successful aging, whether they perceived themselves to be aging successfully, perceptions of links between successful aging and volunteerism, and perceptions of the Give 5 program and its impact on their knowledge of community needs, sense of connection to the community, level of social interaction, empathy for under-resourced individuals, trust in nonprofit agencies, donations to charitable organizations, and the agencies where they volunteered. Qualitative data were coded by two independent reviewers who identified categories for each question and then assigned responses across those various categories. After independent coding of hundreds of responses, the reviewers attained an inter-rater agreement rate of 95%. In a subsequent meeting, the reviewers went over the data together, focusing on areas of disagreement, and resolved all differences in the coding of responses.
Sample Characteristics
For the 75 study participants for whom complete demographic information was available, 27 were men and 48 were women. Most (31) were in the 65–69 age range, while one was 55–59, 13 were 60–64, 19 were 70–75, 10 were older than 75, and one answer was unclear. Seventy respondents were Caucasian, one was Hispanic, one was Asian, and three preferred not to answer. The majority (44) were married or in a domestic partnership, 16 were widowed, 13 were divorced, and two were single (never married). Most (40) had lived in the Springfield and surrounding area for more than 30 years; five had lived in the area for 20–29 years, 15 for 10–19 years, and 15 for 9 years or less. Almost all (68) were retired; three worked less than 40 hours and one at least 40 hours per week, two were not employed and not looking, and one was not employed and looking for work.
In general, the study participants comprised a well-educated, fairly well-off group of individuals. Eleven were high school graduates, five were trade or technical graduates, five had associate degrees, 22 had bachelor’s degrees, and 32 held graduate degrees. Most (62) were homeowners, eight rented, and five preferred not to answer. While 24 respondents preferred not to answer the income question, five reported having an income between $10,000 and $24,999; eight between $25,000 and $49,999; 17 between $50,000 and $74,999; 10 between $75,000 and $99,999; four between $100,000 and $124,999; two between $125,000 and $149,999; one between $175,000 and $199,999; and four at least $200,000.
Results
Successful Aging
The first three survey questions dealt with successful aging, as summarized in Table 1. The first question asked, “What characteristics do you think are necessary to experience successful aging?” Although respondents’ answers varied, definite patterns emerged.
Table 1
Characteristics Necessary for Successful Aging
|
Category |
Number of Unique Responses per Respondent (N = 265) |
Percent (%) of Respondents (N = 83) Mentioning This Category |
|
Purpose |
50 |
60.2 |
|
Positive Interactions |
47 |
56.6 |
|
Health |
43 |
51.8 |
|
Personal Growth |
34 |
42.2 |
|
Self-Acceptance |
25 |
30.1 |
|
Staying Active |
24 |
28.9 |
|
Autonomy |
10 |
12 .0 |
|
Environmental Mastery |
10 |
12.0 |
|
Faith |
8 |
9.6 |
|
Finances |
8 |
9.6 |
|
Staying Socially Active |
3 |
3.6 |
|
Hobbies |
2 |
2.4 |
The largest category of responses was maintaining a sense of purpose, which involves having goals, making a contribution, and feeling that one’s life has overall worth. This was mentioned by 60.2% of respondents. Comments centered frequently on making a difference, giving back to the community, and feeling useful. The following quotations illustrate the range of responses: “Contribute time and attributes to the community. Make a difference”; “Volunteering helps you give back to the community”; “Meaningful work is the crux of it, even if that’s just taking care of grandkids”; and “A person has to have a purpose or a reason to get up in the morning.”
The second largest category of responses related to successful aging was positive interactions with others. This category stressed the importance of connections with others and staying involved with the broader community, and was mentioned by 56.6% of respondents. Comments focused on friendships, contact with family, and meaningful relationships: “It’s important to have good friendships and meaningful connections with others”; “People to interact with. Staying in close touch with family”; and “Spending time socially with friends and family. Sharing our wisdom, education, and life experiences with those who are interested. I want meaningful and enjoyable social interaction.”
The third largest category was health, or feeling that one is in reasonably good physical and mental condition. This was mentioned by 51.8% of respondents. In this category, respondents often commented on staying active, nutrition and exercise, and the importance of good health generally, as illustrated by the following examples: “Keeping an active body”; “Eating right and exercise doesn’t hurt”; and “Stay as healthy as possible.”
The next category was personal growth, mentioned by 42.2% of respondents. Respondents commented on the importance of learning new things and of growing and developing intellectually: “Try to learn something new as often as you can. Volunteering is a way to keep active and work your brain!”; “Having a desire to keep learning and exploring new interests and/or exploring long time interests”; and “I think a person has to keep a young mind and look forward to the future but live in the present and use your past as a reference.”
Self-acceptance, which refers to accepting one’s condition and circumstances and being at peace with oneself, was mentioned by 30.1% of respondents. Comments referred to general acceptance, making adjustments, and feeling confident about the aging process. The following quotations illustrate this category: “I accept where I am in life. Feeling comfortable in your own skin”; “Enjoy each new stage as it comes. Appreciate that some physical and mental declines are natural”; and “To be happy with your life. Foster resilience as life changes.”
The final category presented here was staying active and was mentioned by 28.9% of respondents. While the comments varied in this category, the most frequent comment pertained to the general importance of being active, with no further specification: “Stay busy”; “I am very active”; and “I am physically and socially active.”
Other categories that surfaced included environmental mastery, or the ability to manipulate one’s surroundings to meet daily needs, mentioned by 12% of respondents; autonomy, or independence, mentioned by 12%; having enough income, mentioned by 9.6%; and faith, or a spiritual life, mentioned by 9.6%.
Question 2 asked, “How would you rate your level of successful aging using the scale below?” The scale ranged from 1 (aging very unsuccessfully) to 7 (aging very successfully). Of the 83 participants who answered this question, only three rated their aging as moderately unsuccessful, as shown in Table 2.
Table 2
How Successfully Are You Aging? (1 = aging very unsuccessfully; 7 = aging very successfully)
|
Response (N = 83) |
Number |
Percent |
|
Aging very successfully (7) |
29 |
34.9 |
|
Aging successfully (6 and 5) |
44 |
53.0 |
|
Neither successfully/unsuccessfully (4) |
7 |
8.4 |
|
Aging unsuccessfully (3 and 2) |
3 |
3.6 |
|
Aging very unsuccessfully (1) |
0 |
0 |
Respondents were asked to elaborate on their numerical answers to Question 2. In general, their responses reflected the characteristics of successful aging identified by Fisher and Specht (1999). Because each open-ended response could reflect more than one element of successful aging, Table 3 shows the number and percentage of respondents reflecting each element. The categories are arranged from most to least frequently mentioned.
Table 3
What Factors Contribute to Your Perception of Successful Aging?
|
Category |
Number of Unique Responses per Respondent (N = 239) |
Percent of Respondents |
|
Health |
44 total: 34 positive, 10 negative |
53.0 41.0 pos/12.0 neg |
|
Self-Acceptance |
42 |
50.6 |
|
Positive Interactions |
34 total: 32 positive, 2 negative |
41.0 38.6 pos/2.4 neg |
|
Purpose |
28 |
33.7 |
|
Growth |
23 |
27.7 |
|
Active |
19 |
22.9 |
|
Volunteering |
19 |
22.9 |
|
Faith |
9 |
10.8 |
|
Environmental Mastery |
8 |
9.6 |
|
Travel |
7 |
8.4 |
|
Autonomy |
3 |
3.6 |
|
Finances |
3 |
3.6 |
The category most frequently mentioned for explaining respondents’ ratings of successful aging was health. More than half the respondents (53.0%) mentioned health-related factors. Respondents who mentioned health made positive comments such as “My good eating and sleeping habits contribute to my health”; “I’ve been blessed with good health up to this point”; and “I don’t take much medication, don’t have many aches and pains.” Respondents with health problems said, for instance, “[I am] in constant pain” and “I have encountered several health problems and recently lost the vision in my left eye.” Respondents noted that health problems prevented them from participating as much as they would like.
The next category most frequently mentioned, again by half of the respondents (50.6%), was self-acceptance. Respondents commented, “I am feeling more confident and comfortable in my aging process”; “I am enjoying being retired”; and “This year that [i.e., good health] has changed and typical signals of aging have manifested. I am adjusting to these changes slowly and deliberately, but my progress is taking time and deliberation.” These responses show recognition of changes that come with aging and adjustment to those changes.
Having positive interactions with others was the next most frequently mentioned category. For instance, respondents said, “I have lots of friends,” “I also value my relationships and try to nurture them along,” and “I have lots of family and acquaintances [with whom] to interact frequently.”
Purpose was the next category mentioned most frequently. Respondents commented, “[I] make a difference in the community,” “I feel my contributions as a patient advocate have been very rewarding to me as well as my patients,” and “[I] enjoy helping make our community a better place for all people.”
This category was followed by personal growth. Respondents noted that “[I now have time] to engage in activities that are rewarding and interesting to me,” “[I] keep my brain active learning new things,” and “[I] am trying to grow myself into a better person.”
The categories of staying active and volunteering at one or more organizations were each mentioned by 22.9% of respondents. Comments included, “I am physically and socially active,” “I try to keep active,” “I spend many hours volunteering,” and “I feel fulfilled in my volunteer work.”
The remaining five categories received fewer responses. Faith, environmental mastery, travel, autonomy, and finances, while important to those mentioning them, did not contribute significantly to successful aging for the overall group. The following comments typify those categories, respectively: “I strive to put God first in my life by honoring Him”; “[I have] a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my stomach…. What more could I want or need!”; “We are traveling internationally”; “I am independent and can get what I need to have a good life”; and “I’m financially secure.”
Question 3 encompassed 13 statements related to seven categories established in previous research (Fisher, 1992, 1995; Fisher et al., 1998; Fisher & Specht, 1999; Ryff, 1989) which have been found to be related to successful aging: purpose, positive interactions, personal growth, self-acceptance, autonomy, health, and environmental mastery. Participants were given two statements per category (with only one question related to health) and responded on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). The means for two items comprising a category were averaged to produce the means shown in Table 4, which summarizes these responses by category, from the highest agreement level to the lowest. Clearly, the respondents agreed overwhelmingly with the statements. The lowest mean was for purpose, which, at 5.80, was still well into the agreement range.
Table 4
Levels of Agreement/Disagreement Regarding Factors Associated With Successful Aging
|
Category |
Response Mean (n = 83) |
Range of Responses |
|
Positive Interactions |
6.31 |
2–7 |
|
Environmental Mastery |
6.30 |
1–7 |
|
Autonomy |
6.19 |
1–7 |
|
Health |
6.16 |
1–7 |
|
Personal Growth |
6.08 |
1–7 |
|
Self-Acceptance |
6.01 |
1–7 |
|
Purpose |
5.80 |
1–7 |
Link Between Volunteerism and Successful Aging
Question 4 asked whether there was a link between volunteerism and successful aging; respondents overwhelmingly agreed that there was (97%, n = 81). From respondents’ explanations, four categories emerged most often: sense of purpose, self-acceptance, positive interactions with others, and personal growth (see Table 5).
Table 5
Factors Contributing to Perceptions of the Links Between Volunteerism and Successful Aging
|
Category |
Number of Unique Responses by Respondents (N = 181) |
Percent (%) of Respondents (N = 83) Mentioning This Category |
|
Purpose |
67 |
80.7 |
|
Self-Acceptance |
56 |
67.5 |
|
Positive Interactions |
21 |
25.3 |
|
Growth |
19 |
22.9 |
|
Distraction |
5 |
6.0 |
|
Faith |
4 |
4.8 |
|
Environmental Mastery |
3 |
3.6 |
|
Autonomy |
3 |
3.6 |
|
Active |
2 |
2.4 |
|
Health |
1 |
1.2 |
A sense of purpose was mentioned by 80.7% of respondents, with comments emphasizing a sense of contributing to others’ well-being and sharing talents with others: “Everyone needs a purpose and helping others makes our community better”; “Sharing gifts and talents with others gives meaning and purpose to your life”; “Being of service to others keeps the vital energy of life flowing”; and “You must be useful and needed by others. Volunteerism provides us with a purpose that we might not otherwise have and provides a means to give back to our community.”
The next category was self-acceptance, mentioned by 67.5% of respondents, who emphasized a feeling of satisfaction, self-worth, and increased happiness. Representative comments included, “Giving back or paying it forward, volunteering triggers a feeling of general well-being and satisfaction”; “Keeping current with the needs of the community lends to your self-worth. I have volunteered all my life so to stop with this activity would be detrimental to myself and my perceived value”; and “If what you volunteer to do is satisfying, you’ll be happier.”
Positive interactions with others, the third category, was mentioned by 25.3% of respondents. Individuals mentioned keeping socially active, meeting new people, and making friends: “Volunteering keeps you social and gets you out in the world being with other people”; “Volunteering lets you meet new people and make connections with others”; and “Working together as a group you can tackle and solve problems that otherwise may seem insurmountable. I like to volunteer and enjoy the friends I’ve made with those endeavors.”
The fourth category, personal growth, was mentioned by 22.9% of respondents. In this category, respondents commented on expanding horizons and learning new things: “Volunteering or just helping others gives a feeling of going beyond yourself. It gives you ideas you might not have thought of before”; and “Involvement as a volunteer expands your horizons and broadens your knowledge of people and situations. It offers personal growth and a sense of accomplishment.”
Responses Regarding the Give 5 Program
The survey asked questions designed to assess the effect of the Give 5 program specifically on the respondents. Most responses to these questions were rated on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree); some were yes/no questions.
Respondents indicated that they enjoyed participating in Give 5 (average, 6.82; range, 4–7). In an overwhelming endorsement of the program, 98.8% of respondents indicated they would recommend Give 5 to others, with only one person responding “maybe.” In addition, 95.2 % (N = 79) had actually encouraged others to participate in the Give 5 program or to volunteer their time. The majority (63.9%, N = 53) reported they had told 10 or more other people about the program; 13.3 % (N = 11) had told between seven and nine people; 19.3% (N = 16) had told between four and six people; and 3.6% had told one to three people. All survey respondents indicated they had told someone else about Give 5.
When asked whether they were volunteering with any organization(s) as a result of Give 5, 80.7% (N = 67) said they were, at an average of 4.19 hours per week. Moreover, when asked if they had donated money to one or more nonprofits as a result of Give 5, 55.6% (N = 47) reported that they had. Table 6 summarizes the responses to several questions asking about specific effects of the Give 5 program, on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree).
Table 6
Levels of Agreement/Disagreement Regarding Give 5 (1 = strongly disagree; 7 = strongly agree)
|
Question: “To what extent has Give 5…” |
Response Mean |
Range of Responses |
|
Increased my sense of responsibility to help improve the community. |
6.31 |
3–7 |
|
Made me feel more connected to the community. |
6.11 |
2–7 |
|
Increased my knowledge of needs in the community. |
6.66 |
3–7 |
|
Increased my empathy for under-resourced individuals in the community. |
6.27 |
2–7 |
|
Increased my level of trust in the work of nonprofits in the community. |
6.06 |
2–7 |
|
Increased my level of social interaction. |
5.34 |
2–7 |
|
Provided information that was new to me. |
5.46 |
3–7 |
Respondents who reported volunteering were asked to what extent their volunteer work was similar to or different from what they had done in their paying careers prior to retirement. Their responses, summarized in Table 7, ranged from 1 (very dissimilar) to 7 (very similar).
Table 7
Degree of Similarity Between Volunteer Work and Paid Careers
|
Response (N = 67) |
Number |
Percent (%) |
|
Very similar (7) |
12 |
17.9 |
|
Similar (6 and 5) |
17 |
25.4 |
|
Neither similar nor dissimilar (4) |
12 |
17.9 |
|
Dissimilar (3 and 2) |
18 |
26.9 |
|
Very dissimilar (1) |
8 |
12.9 |
Table 8 reports responses regarding how the Give 5 volunteers believed their work affected the organizations for which they volunteered. Again, the scale ranged from 1 (not at all) to 7 (to a great extent or very meaningful).
Table 8
Effects of One’s Volunteer Work on the Organizations
|
Question |
Response Mean |
Range of Responses |
|
To what extent has the organization explained the impact of your work? (1 = not at all; 7 = to a great extent) |
5.21 |
1–7 |
|
How meaningful is your work to the organization? (1 = not at all meaningful; 7 = very meaningful) |
5.91 |
2–7 |
Summary and Discussion
The results of this study paint a clear picture. In terms of these individuals’ aging experiences, and despite the challenges of daily life circumstances, they were aging very well. Over the last 60 years, prevailing stereotypes about older adults as frail, senile, self-involved, and disengaged have undermined a recognition of the value of older adults. As the number of older adults grows both within and outside the United States, it is important that communities challenge the insidious aspects of these stereotypes and embrace the valuable resources available among their retirees.
The older adults in this study validated the importance of a sense of purpose, positive interactions with others, self-acceptance, personal growth, staying active, and health as key factors contributing to successful aging. Their collective comments gave voice to a deep desire to be engaged in the community to benefit themselves and, just as importantly, to feel needed by and useful to the broader society. These individuals sought out the Give 5 program to learn more about their community and find ways they could make a difference.
The study also demonstrates a clear link between volunteerism and successful aging. In later life, it is easy to become isolated due to widowhood, illness, or not feeling welcomed by younger members of society. Volunteerism is an avenue through which people can regain or maintain a sense of purpose and value, learn more about others in diverse circumstances, and make new friends as they work with others to solve the problems within a community.
The questions specifically addressing the Give 5 program demonstrate plainly its effectiveness in meeting the goals of the program as well as benefiting its participants. As noted earlier, participants perceived an increase in responsibility to the community, connection to the community, knowledge of community needs, empathy for under-served populations, trust of nonprofits, social interaction, and access to new information. In addition, participants were so moved by the experience that 95.2% had encouraged others to go through the Give 5 experience, and all of them encouraged others to engage in some form of volunteering. Moreover, participants donated not only their time, but also their money to help area nonprofit agencies.
The results of this study suggest strongly that the Give 5 program has been a resounding success. It encourages people to get involved in the community and provides opportunities and benefits to older participants which will help them continue to age successfully.
While this study is representative only of the participants in the first five classes, there is little doubt that future classes will offer similar benefits. The Give 5 program can, and should, be marketed to other communities to harness the untapped potential of retired individuals who want to continue to be engaged and help improve their corners of the world. This is a program well suited to do just that.
Limitations
There are two principal areas of concern related to this study. The first involves the lack of racial and ethnic diversity of participants since only two respondents identified as non-Caucasian. While this reflects a general lack of diversity in Springfield, which was 88.7% Caucasian in the 2010 census, it is nevertheless important for Give 5 to represent genuinely the community it serves and suggests that modifications are needed in the recruitment of potential Give 5 participants. The second is that, although the survey response rate of 85% was excellent, there was likely a pro-Give 5 bias among respondents. Hearing from non-respondents would deepen understanding of the impact of Give 5 on participants.
Future Research
This assessment has suggested several areas for future research. For instance, it would be important to assess how the nonprofits perceive the Give 5 program and the volunteers who come to them through the program. In addition, because good health was deemed critical to the ability to volunteer, observing how declining health impedes participant involvement would be useful, as would understanding how a participant’s health issues might be accommodated to keep them engaged. An important question to explore is, Is this a program only for relatively healthier older adults? It is important to consider how the program can be designed so participants can continue to volunteer and reap the benefits of doing so if one’s health declines. Finally, follow-up with graduates at regular intervals would also provide valuable longitudinal data on how lasting the benefits are as a result of participating in the Give 5 program.
References
Fisher, B. J. (1992). Successful aging and life satisfaction: A pilot study for conceptual clarification. Journal of Aging Studies, 6, 191–202. https://doi.org/10.1016/0890-4065(92)90012-U
Fisher, B. J. (1995). Successful aging, life satisfaction and generativity in later life. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 41, 239–250. https://doi.org/10.2190/HA9X-H48D-9GYB-85XW
Fisher, B. J., Day, M., & Collier, C. E. (1998). Successful aging: Volunteerism and generativity in later life. In D. Redburn & B. McNamara (Eds.), Social gerontology (pp. 43–54). Greenwood.
Fisher, B. J., & Specht, D. K. (1999). Successful aging and creativity in later life. Journal of Aging Studies, 13, 457–472. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-4065(99)00021-3
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Beyond Ponce de Leon and life satisfaction: New directions in quest of successful aging. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 12, 35–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/016502548901200102
AUTHORS
Bradley Fisher is professor emeritus in the Psychology and Gerontology department at Missouri State University and was Coordinator of the Gerontology Program for twenty years. He has served on numerous advisory boards and task forces in the Springfield community. He served on the board and on several committees with the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education. He was instrumental in developing the AGHE Program of Merit which provides certification for gerontology programs in higher education. In 2019, AGHE honored him with the Hiram J. Friedsam Mentorship Award. He has been the recipient of the University Foundation Award for service and the Faculty Excellence in Community Service Award. He has published one book and several scholarly articles on topics ranging from the self-concept in later life, factors associated with successful aging, living environments for older adults, efficacy and empowerment in elderhood, and innovative teaching techniques. Since retirement, he continues to volunteer in the community and organizes the Annual Senior Art Exhibition for artists 60 and above.
Gloria J. Galanes is professor emerita and former dean of the college of Arts and Letters at Missouri State. Dr. Galanes was the founding director of the Citizenship and Service Learning program at Missouri State and is the co-author of two small group communication textbooks and co-editor of ed a text on social constructionism. She especially enjoyed teaching graduate courses in applied research projects that benefited the community. Her classes have investigated such topics as the needs of youth in the community, the needs of older adults, and the perceptions of Springfield Public Schools on behalf of numerous community organizations in Springfield. Since retirement, she has worked on two projects related to the Give 5 Volunteer Program and analyzed data gathered by the Mayor’s Commission on Human Rights and Community Relations regarding Springfield’s inclusiveness.