At their recent meeting, members of Sigma Phi Omega elected new leaders for the upcoming school year. The new President is Mallory Wilkins, junior Communications Disorders major, the new Vice President is Kaitlin Jarrold, junior Nutrition major, and the new Secretary is Ashley Bryan, junior Communications Disorders major. Graduating President Laura Baxter says, “All three have a deep love for service of the aging population, and feel a great sense of responsibility for raising awareness for aging studies and the need for knowledge of aging. All three envision starting a monthly chapel meeting, and have proposed the idea of together speaking to freshman core classes about the aging studies program and the need for a conversation about issues in aging.”
As President, Mallory’s primary responsibilities will be to make contacts in the community and to plan/execute an activity calendar for the 2014-2015 school year. Kaitlin’s primary responsibilities as Vice President will be to look for ways to correspond with interested students and to set up classroom visits. She also wants to design honor society t-shirts. As Secretary, Ashley’s primary responsibilities will be marketing on social media, getting the word out about events, and corresponding with campus offices.
Sigma Phi Omega (SPO), the national academic honor and professional society in gerontology, was established in 1980 to recognize excellence of those who study gerontology and aging and the outstanding service of professionals who work with or on behalf of older persons. The formation of a society provides a much needed link between educators, practitioners, and administrators in various settings where older persons are served.