Ohio Gerontology Programs

Brandon Hemminger

Nursing Home Administrator, Bowling Green Manor

What is your degree background? I earned my bachelor’s degree in applied health science with a specialization in health care administration from Bowling Green State University.

What is a day in the life for you at your job? My day to day life as a Nursing Home Administrator changes and evolves daily! One of the great joys of this occupation is the daily challenge of adapting to the environment and being ready to wear any number of different hats throughout the course of the day. While no two days are ever the same, one constant is in my interactions with our Residents. The first thing I do when I arrive each day, is to go room to room to greet each resident and to say, “Good morning!”

I take as much time out of each day as possible to spend socializing with our Residents in some way, whether it’s joining in on a card game, playing BINGO, or having lunch with them. Building relationships is the purpose I had in beginning a career in Long-Term Care so those moments I’m able to spend with our Residents is priceless!

How has your work impacted older adults? I have worked in Long-Term Care for 13 years, with seven of those being a State Tested Nursing Assistant (STNA). Over the years, my focus has always been on providing my community’s residents with the absolute highest level of care, safety, respect, and love. It has been a great privilege of my life to have had the opportunity to make a positive impact on so many older adults, and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly.

What advice would you give to your younger self when thinking about working with older adults and the aging population? Working with older adults and the aging population requires you to step out of your comfort zone and to be prepared to embrace new challenges every day, sometimes even every hour! To have a successful career requires you to have the willingness to adapt to an always changing environment, and to come in every day with a servant’s heart – always be prepared to serve others!

Lauren Feyh, MNM, LNHA, ACC, CDP, CMDCP

Instructor of Practice, The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Lauren Feyh, an Instructor of Practice at The Ohio State University, is also the Co-Founder and Co-Director of GrowIN – Intergenerational Community Programming, a grassroots nonprofit organization. This organization focuses on education, wellness, and arts programming. Lauren was honored as one of the inaugural fellows for the Eisner Prize Fellowship, which provided funding for their program called Buds n’ Blooms. This initiative bridges generations by connecting master gardeners with older adults and undergraduate students to create modified, accessible gardens. Participants receive tailored education sessions on gardening best practices, and the harvested produce is donated to nutrition cooking programs. In these cooking programs, Buds and Blooms participants, alongside a Registered Dietitian, teach the community how to prepare meals using fresh produce.

Additionally, Lauren collaborates on the ARISE program (Arts Through Intergenerational Social Engagement), a collaboration between Columbus Association of the Performing Arts, The Ohio State University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (OSU HRS), and GrowIN. This program involves older adult members of At Home By High (a village in Columbus, Ohio) and residents of the Worthington Christian Village Retirement Community Assisted Living and long-term care. The ARISE program connects high school students, college student mentors, and older adults through a 5-week storytelling through the performing arts workshop, allowing them to bring their own stories to life. Lastly, Lauren’s Get up and MOVE exercise program is expanding. It connects older adults in the community with Undergraduate Health Science students and Doctoral Occupational Therapy (OTD) students. These exercises are designed by OTD students and are broken up into 4-6 minute circuits, followed by 4-6 minute health and wellness discussions.

University of Akron

Contacts: Dr. Jennifer Tehan Stanley, Director – jstanley@uakron.edu 
Dr. Toni Bisconti, Associate Director – tb33@uakron.edu 
Email: lifespan@uakron.edu 
Telephone: 330-972-7243
University of Akron Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology
Certificate Programs

Bowling Green State University

Contacts: Dr. Charlie Stelle, Coordinator- cstelle@bgsu.edu 
Telephone: 419-372-8304 & (419) 372-2326
BGSU Department of Human Services

Central State University

Contacts: Dr. Edison Perdomo – Acting Chair – eperdomo@centralstate.edu 
Sarah Perdomo – Administrative Secretary – sperdomo@centralstate.edu 
Telephone: 937-376-6144, 937-376-6052
Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Gerontology Program

Cleveland State University

Contacts: Elizabeth Domholdt, Director, School of Health Science
Mary Milidonis, Certificate Program Director – m.milidonis@csuohio.edu
Email: healthsci@csuohio.edu
Telephone: (216) 687-3567; PD – 216.687.2447
Health Sciences and Human Performance Department: CSU Health Sciences and Human Performance Department
Adult Learning & Development – Gerontology Focus

Kent State University

Contacts: Kelly Cichy – Program Coordinator – kcichy@kent.edu – 330-672-2449
Gregory Smith – Program Coordinator – gsmith2@kent.edu – 330-672-9993
Dr. Frank Sansosti – Interim School Director- fsansos@kent.edu
Telephone: 330-672-2294
School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences
Gerontology Minor
Gerontology Graduate Certificate

Miami University

Contacts: Aaron Abbott – abbotta3@MiamiOH.edu
Dr. Leah Janssen – Assistant Director Academic Programs – jansselm@MiamiOH.edu, scripps@miamioh.edu – 513-529-8748
Email: ocgty@MiamiOH.edu
Telephone: 513-529-2628
Undergraduate Gerontology
Master of Gerontological Studies (MGS)
PhD in Social Gerontology

The Ohio State University

Contacts: Jessica Krok-Schoen, PhD
Assistant Professor, Health Sciences
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
333 W 10th Ave., 1190C Graves Hall
Columbus, OH 43210
Jessica.Schoen@osumc.edu
614-366-9203

Aging Education Programs at The Ohio State University 

Wright State University

Contacts: Dr. Hyejin Kim, Program Director- hyejin.kim@wright.edu – 937-775-2751
Email: social_work@wright.edu
Telephone: 937-775-2751
Gerontology Certificate

Youngstown State University

Contacts: Dr. Daniel Van Dussen – Program Director – djvandussen@ysu.edu
Telephone: (330) 941-1683
Minor in Gerontology
Certificate in Applied Gerontology