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Across the country, young people and older people are stepping up as civic leaders. But too often, they do this critical work with peers, in age-segregated spaces. Young people work without the benefit of older generations who bring lived experience, networks, and a...
At our recent Campus Innovation for a Multigenerational Society webinar, three remarkable leaders — Markya Reed (Johns Hopkins), Karen Morris (School of the Art Institute of Chicago), and Lindsey Beagley (Arizona State University) — shared how they’ve built successful cogenerational initiatives on their campuses.
Whether you’re just getting started or ready to deepen your efforts, here are some of their most practical tips.
“If I had started by thinking I’m going to partner with all these schools—I never would’ve started.”
Instead, Karen Morris began with a simple experiment: gather young and older LGBTQ+ folks, feed them, and let connection emerge.
Takeaway: You don’t need a grand plan. Start with one partner, one class, one lunch.
To find younger people, look for:
To find older people, look in:
Takeaway: Start by asking one older and one younger person where they naturally connect with other generations. You might find clues for redesigning what’s missing.
“Look at what already exists on your campus. What can be opened up to older adults? What spaces, programs, or experiences are re-purposable? This isn’t about building something new from scratch, it’s about reimagining what you already have.”
Lindsey Beagley suggests inviting older learners to audit classes, co-hosting events with a local senior center, or turning a guest lecture into a cross-generational dialogue.
Takeaway: Look around before starting something new. College campuses and the communities around them are full of resources and networks that, with a little creativity, can fuel your cogenerational project.
Community-based research and learning courses are powerful ways to bring lived experience into the classroom.
And, Markya Reed adds, “Lived experience is expertise too.”
Takeaway: Create roles for community elders as co-educators, partners, or mentors.
Karen’s dialogue project grew from a side experiment to a credit-bearing course, research project, and a vibrant community with 160+ participants over time.
She suggests the following ideas for flexible formats:
As Karen put it, “Start small. Be patient. Be flexible. Let it grow.”
Takeaway: Not everything has to happen on campus or in the classroom! Some of the most powerful connections start in unexpected places, like a bar, a basement, or a borrowed classroom.
For more information, check out:
Want to hear the full conversation? Check out the full recording and transcript from Campus Innovation for a Multigenerational Society.