Contacts:
Nancy Swanger, WSU School of Hospitality & Business Management, 509-335-2443, swanger@wsu.edu
Sue McMurray, WSU College of Business, 509-335-7578, sue.mcmurray@wsu.edu
By Sue McMurray, College of Business
Corporate executives invest in training WSU students to work in senior living industry
PULLMAN, Wash. – Business and industry clearly recognizes the growing need for professionals who are knowledgeable in serving the senior community.
Each week, company professionals drive or fly the nearly 300 miles from Seattle to WSU Pullman to help students learn about the business of running a retirement community. In addition, they're investing money to help attract and ensure student training and success.
Seven students in Washington State University’s School of Hospitality Business Management (SHBM) senior living management class recently received $15,000 worth of scholarships to recognize their innovative senior housing business plans.
Companies join forces
WSU's senior living management class is comprised of 33 students and was created a year ago when four leading senior housing companies joined forces with SHBM. Seattle-based Emeritus Senior Living, Leisure Care/One Eighty, Aegis Living, and Merrill Gardens conceived the idea for the class as a way to expose undergraduate students to senior housing as a career choice.
"The goal is to expose these students to senior housing as a career option,” said Bill Pettit, president of Merrill Gardens and one of the course’s teachers. "These students get a good background in business and hospitality which makes them strong candidates to work in senior housing.”
Running a retirement community
Each week, various Seattle-based professionals help students learn about the business of running a retirement community. The class also includes a mandatory three-day field trip to Seattle where students get an up-close view of senior housing operations. They also meet with general managers and residents from the sponsoring companies.
Never crossed their mind
"This industry faces a lack of talented managers to run operations. By exposing these college students to a career in senior housing, they are broadening the talent pool,” said Professor Nancy Swanger, director of SHBM. "Many of these students say that the idea of working in senior housing never crossed their minds until they took this class and learned about the opportunities offered by the industry.”
Students work in groups mentored by one of the sponsoring companies for the semester. Throughout the term, the groups n learn about that company’s senior housing model. At the end of the semester, each group presents a business plan for a community in that model that includes all facets of community operations such as staffing, revenue, design, market factors, care services, lifestyle programs, and dining services. Each of the sponsoring companies provides a $2,500 scholarship to an exceptional student in the class, and the companies offer paid summer internships as well.
The 2012 scholarship recipients are:
- Aegis Living Scholarship: Elizabeth Piesman, senior psychology major, Fort Collins, Colo.
- 180/Leisure Care Scholarship: Jessica Duren, senior hospitality and business management major, Tacoma, Wash.
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Merrill Gardens Scholarship and Peter Marker Memorial Scholarship: Ana Weeks, senior hospitality and business management major, Clinton, Wash.
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SHBM Emeritus Scholarship: Melissa Hoag, senior general studies major, Covington, Wash.
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SHBM Scholarship Fund: Stephen Stietenroth, senior hospitality and business management major, Gulfport, Miss.
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Peter Marker Memorial Scholarship: Chloe Payne, sophomore business student, Redmond, Ore.
Taught by professionals
"Many of the students from the original class said this was the best class they had ever taken at the university, because it was taught exclusively by professionals and gave them real-world experience in the industry,” said Swanger. "Additionally, two of the students from the inaugural class are now general managers in training with two of the companies. The sponsoring companies are also developing internal management training programs in order to be able to bring on additional graduates of the program.”
To learn more about the senior living class and view award recipients, visit youtube.com/watch?v=rvoncmoocbw