Tallahassee Community College, partnered with community organizations that provide services to the elderly, provide students with a unique opportunity to learn about elderly issues and the social service programs that serve them. TCC is taking a multidisciplinary approach in an effort to build a Learning Community that will continue to sustain the Life Legacy project, and continue to serve the needs of the elderly in the community while raising the awareness of students in psychology, history, and teacher education.
To date, the TCC Life Legacy Project has included 120 students per semester, each completing a minimum of 20 hours with five local organizations.
Highlights:
- Delivered meals to shut-ins through "Meals on Wheels"
- Worked with Aging with Dignity to further the "Five Wishes" initiative, a national program to guide people through their end-of-life decisions
- Students interviewed seniors for an oral history project to be archived at TCC's new History and Social Sciences Library
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Project Leader
Dr. Jeanne O'Kon
Dr. O'Kon has been a full-time faculty member in Psychology at Tallahassee Community College for over 30 years. She holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, all from Florida State University. She is the Program Chair in Behavioral Sciences and oversees instructors in five subject areas. Dr. O'Kon has been involved in service-learning on campus for some years. Initially, she developed the state-mandated academic service-learning experience for Teacher Education majors. She forged relationships with more than 16 local K-12 schools where TCC students assist teachers in the classroom and gather valuable experience for their future careers. In 2006, Dr. O'Kon applied for a Faculty Fellowship at TCC and was granted released time to develop a plan for incorporating service-learning in psychology classes.
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Resources
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