BUILDING AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT - LAUNCHING ECKERD COLLEGE’S AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY STATUS

Sep 28, 2026

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Eckerd College, a small liberal arts institution in St. Petersburg, Florida, received the Age-Friendly University (AFU) designation in 2019. Guided by the evidence-based Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model, the college used a multifaceted strategy to build campus-wide awareness and engagement across seven domains. Efforts focused on raising awareness of age diversity, friendliness, and inclusivity through coalition building, leadership conversations, and a Lunch and Learn program. Additional actions included Careers in Aging Month events and developing a student club for non-traditional students after assessment of their experiences. Other initiatives and resource needs are addressed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Building awareness and engagement

AFU designation and AIDHE guidance

Campus coalition and Lunch and Learn

Student-facing initiatives and assessment

Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 563 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.1932 BUILDING AWARENESS AND ENGAGEMENT: LAUNCHING ECKERD COLLEGE’S AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY STATUS Tamar Shovali, Alexis Ramsey-Tobienne, and Kat Robinson, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida, United States Eckerd College, a small, private liberal arts college in St. Petersburg, FL, earned the Age-Friendly University (AFU) designation in 2019. Guided by the evidence-based Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model, we adopted a multifaceted approach to launch our AFU status and foster campus-wide awareness and engagement across the seven domains. The AIDHE model outlines that campus-wide strategies for this launch should focus on raising awareness, providing information and education, and assessing campus constituents. Our first goal was to raise awareness of age diversity, friendliness, and inclusivity on campus. A multi-tiered approach began by forming a coalition with The Inspired Network center for teaching, learning, and faculty development and engaging in conversations with administration and key staff from various domains, 564 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 including advancement, OLLI, the Academy of Senior Professionals, admissions, and human resources. This was followed by an AFU Lunch and Learn for faculty, staff, and community members to raise broader awareness about our designation, highlight the value of working in an age-diverse environment, and assess attendees’ specific resource needs to inform future practices. To broaden student awareness, a Careers in Aging Month event was planned to provide information about AFUs and opportunities in the field of aging. Subsequently, an assessment of non-traditional student experiences at the college led to the development of a student club designed for this population. Our overarching strategy, other Age-Friendly initiatives aiding in this launch, and specific resource needs will be discussed.

FAQs

What framework guided Eckerd College’s AFU launch?

The college followed the evidence-based Age Inclusivity Domains of Higher Education (AIDHE) model, which emphasizes awareness, information and education, and assessment across campus stakeholders.

How did Eckerd College build campus-wide awareness and engagement?

It formed a coalition with an education and faculty development center, engaged administration and key staff across domains, and hosted an AFU Lunch and Learn for faculty, staff, and community members.

What student-focused activities supported the AFU launch?

The college planned a Careers in Aging Month event to inform students about AFUs and aging-field opportunities, then assessed non-traditional student experiences to develop a dedicated student club.

Sep 28, 2026

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