The Future is Already Here

Inside UIndy’s Aging Studies Program

Grandparents enjoying grandsons by Hoi An and Da Nang Photos on Unsplash

Last week, in Part One of this series, I wrote about why aging is everyone’s business—how longer lives are reshaping workplaces, communities, and nearly every profession. The next question is a practical one: how are we preparing for that reality?

An answer is emerging inside higher education, where a global network of Age-Friendly Universities, discussed last week, are rethinking who learning is for and where it happens.

One place where preparation has been underway for years is the University of Indianapolis (UIndy.) The university is a useful case study for what it looks like when higher education responds thoughtfully—not reactively—to demographic change.

Rather than treating aging as a narrow specialty, UIndy approaches it as a reality that cuts across disciplines. “What makes our program distinctive,” said Dr. Marwa Noureldin, Associate Professor and Director of the Aging Studies and Healthcare Administration programs, “is that we give students a holistic, well-rounded view of aging and gerontology—because aging touches different fields in different ways.”

That philosophy shows up first in who is in the classroom. Students in UIndy’s Aging Studies courses range from their 20s to their 70s, creating learning environments shaped by both academic inquiry and lived experience. Some students are just beginning their professional journeys. Others are returning to school with decades of work experience and a desire to deepen their knowledge of aging-related issues.

Multigenerational classes benefit students online and on campus. Photo: Iakov Filimonov/Shutterstock

Equally important is how students enter the program. UIndy offers multiple pathways: an undergraduate minor and an undergraduate certificate in Aging Studies. There is also a Master of Science in Aging Studies and other programs for those seeking advanced preparation. The course offerings are available on campus or online, allowing for broader access and flexibility for today’s students.

Because the program is housed within UIndy’s College of Health Sciences, collaboration is built into its design. Students pursuing degrees in public health, healthcare administration, and other health-related fields can incorporate Aging Studies through dual-program options and integrated coursework. The result is preparation that mirrors the real world, where aging intersects with policy, management, ethics, caregiving, and community planning—not just clinical care. Dr. Noureldin explained, “pursuing a certificate or advanced degree in Aging Studies enhances their credentials.”

She emphasized the cross-disciplinary approach is intentional. Longer lives, she noted, are reshaping expectations across professions. Employers are navigating multigenerational workforces. Communities are reconsidering housing, transportation, and access. Professionals in law, finance, education, and human resources are encountering aging-related issues whether they expected to or not.

Education, in this context, becomes less about specialization and more about literacy—what might be called “gerontology awareness.” It’s the ability to recognize how longer lives affect decision-making, service delivery, and human connection. Programs like UIndy’s doesn’t suggest that everyone needs to become a gerontologist; they acknowledge that nearly everyone will be affected by aging in their work, families, or communities.

CAC promotes positive aging, supports aging-in-place, and provides services including training and a speakers series.

This broader commitment extends beyond the classroom. Through its Center for Aging & Community, UIndy connects academic expertise with public-facing programs and community partnerships. Speaker series, public events, and collaborations with local organizations reflect a university positioning itself as a resource across the lifespan—not only for traditional students, but for the wider community. I initially became of aware of the Aging Studies program after attending a program in the Speaker Series program hosted by the Center for Aging & Community last Fall.

The “future” many people still think is coming…it is already here. Institutions like UIndy are responding by preparing professionals who understand aging not as a problem to be solved, but as a shared human experience that must be thoughtfully navigated.

For readers of Older, Bolder & Better!, this approach is similar to how many of us are living our lives— intentional and grounded— knowing how we prepare today, shapes how we live tomorrow.

“The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you’re learning you’re not old.” Rosalyn Susan Yalow—1977 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.