Kristi Honigfort
Bowling Green State University
2017
“The Ohio Scholars in Aging Program allowed me to share ideas that I have learned with others as well as allowed me to learn some brilliant ideas for me to take with me into my every day work.”

I had the pleasure of doing my internship at Otterbein Portage Valley in Pemberville, Ohio. I assisted the Marketing Department with special events they held to bring community members to the campus.
My project for the semester was titled Spring Cleaning and was a three part seminar, but I primarily focused on part one. Part one was titled: How to Get Started. We had a nice lunch that afternoon and then I presented on the tips and tricks to downsizing. I covered the benefits of starting to downsize now, as well as the emotional aspect that comes along with parting with personal items. I also prepared for those who attended a list of resources that would be helpful in the process of downsizing. I put together contact information for donation sites, recycling centers, cleaning services, and consignment shops. I received positive feedback on this part of the seminar because the hardest part to those who attended was getting started with where to bring their items. I made a checklist for those who attended to take home that also included little details that they might not think about while they are preparing to move.
Working at Otterbein Portage Valley reassured me that I wanted to work with older adults and gave me many opportunities to grow as a new professional. Every Wednesday I attended Coffee Talk with our Independent Living residents and they are so full of life, stories, and knowledge that I never wanted to miss a chance to get to know their story. I learned that everyone has a story and that we just need to ask about it to truly understand each person. I look forward to taking that valuable lesson with me throughout my life.
The Ohio Scholars in Aging Program allowed me to share ideas that I have learned with others as well as allowed me to learn some brilliant ideas for me to take with me into my every day work. It was great to hear from individuals who are studying aging in a different way to get their perspective on aging in today’s world.

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