Aging and Community Practice
Dr. West-Bruce mentors students interested in aging and community based practice. Within her lab, students will have an immersive community and cultural experience via a collaboration with the Sankofa Culture and Art Wellness Village, a naturally occurring retirement community (NORC) in the city of St. Louis. Student involvement in this lab is focused on gaining knowledge, skills and experience in program development and evaluation, evidence-based and innovative interventions, culturally relevant practice, and scholarship related to aging, community-based practice and occupational justice. Students should consider this experience if they are interested in developing innovations in community-based practice and aging in place. Personal transportation may be needed for monthly onsite meetings.
General Description of Student Activities
Students will engage in numerous learning activities to support a collaborative and transformative learning experience including:
- Consultation and partnership with Sankofa Culture and Art Wellness Village staff and participants to develop, enhance, and implement culturally relevant programming
- Program evaluation using a variety of methods
- Volunteer opportunities
- Grant writing
- Literature review/research
- Scholarly writing and manuscript development
Qualities for Student Success
Students who are interested in this experience would ideally have the following qualities to have a successful lab experience:
- Openness to learning about the culture of the NORC (i.e., cultural humility)
- Flexibility
- Openness
- Innovation
- Comfort with ambiguity
- A team spirit
- Interest in advocacy