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“AGE IS OPPORTUNITY NO LESS THAN YOUTH ITSELF” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The Hudson Valley region’s population of people more than 60 years old is nearly twice as large as the national average. Institutions of higher education have not augmented their curricula to adequately respond to the immediate and anticipated needs of a population that is living longer.

Present and looming workforce shortages in aging services precipitated the development of the Westchester Alliance. Its purpose is to educate students and faculty about the much talked about demographic shift and find ways to incorporate this valuable information into courses across the disciplines.

Fordham’s Ravazzin Center on Aging is the research arm of the program; with its help we have collected vital information from participants. A survey of student participants in a Westchester Alliance project showed that 40% have an increased interest in the field of aging. This confirms that we’re on the right track.  The Westchester Alliance receives additional funding from the United Way of Westchester and Putnam and the Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation.

There is a wealth of information within this site – faculty can use many of the sections in the development of new courses or to add to current courses; for students, there are sections with an abundance of information that can be used for research, sections on possible career options, and even a section with internship opportunities.  Our goal at the Alliance is to encourage students and faculty to explore the myriad of options in the field of aging and to help make the journey informative and interesting.  If you have questions or comments, please direct an email to kscilla@hotmail.com.