As we navigate a period of change at the Pruett Gerontology Center, we reflect on the unique leadership of Dr. Suzie Macaluso. Her six-year tenure as the PGC director and thirteen years as a full-time faculty member in the Department of Communication and Sociology have left an indelible mark. Her students hold her in high esteem, a testament to her dedication and impact. We wish to highlight a few of her unique accomplishments, a small token of our appreciation for her unwavering commitment to the Pruett Gerontology Center.
While directing the Pruett Gerontology Center, Dr. Macaluso was part of an area-wide team that hosted a Senior Expo, bringing together businesses nationwide to showcase their products and services for older adults.
Dr. Macaluso’s efforts to bridge generations have left a lasting impact. Her continuation of the annual Images of Aging Photo Contest and initiation of the Intergenerational Study Abroad experience is truly inspiring. Her dedication was further demonstrated when she and her family spent a year immersing themselves in ACU students’ lives through the faculty-in-residence program, a testament to her commitment to fostering intergenerational understanding.
She navigated the PGC through the pandemic while continuing to teach and safeguard her family. As many teachers had to do, Dr. Macaluso learned how to conduct in-person and online courses simultaneously.
Dr. Macaluso and staff from the West Central Texas Area Agency on Aging organized several Town Hall meetings in rural areas around Abilene, providing information on Medicare open enrollment and gathering helpful information about the needs of older adults in our region. The results were presented at the Gerontological Society of America Conference and to the Area Agency on Aging for use in their annual report and area plan.
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Dr. Macaluso began a Caregiver Support Group lunch meeting for ACU faculty and staff. She helped recruit speakers from the Area Agency on Aging of West Central Texas and the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as caregivers willing to share the lessons they learned from their experiences.
As Dr. Macaluso embarks on her new journey, we are hopeful and optimistic. We wish her the best as she pursues research and consulting projects independently. Dr. Macaluso will continue working with the Siburt Institute for Church Ministry to serve congregations through the use of the Church Health Assessment, a survey that she developed with Dr. Carley Dodd in 2016 and has been used by 58 congregations so far as they look to strengthen their congregation and navigate changes in their church. Her continued work with the Church Research Council, especially their recent survey for the Churches of Christ across the nation, is a testament to her dedication to using her gifts to serve the church.