CONTINUANCE - Southern Illinois University

AcknowledgementsRemembering Keith Sanders, Executive Director, Illinois Board of Higher Education from 1998 to 2002and an inspirational leader at Southern Illinois University for more than five decadesThree cheers for those who put in place the ideas forthis report and to those who participated in the “Yearof the Engaged Older Adult,” in the 20 local discussions,the Summit on Aging and Education, and theGathering in the Illinois Senate.A hearty thank you to 19 community college presidentsand one Regional Office of Education for giving all ofIllinois a model of leadership that is greatly needed.They and their conveners had minimal lead time to preparefor the Local Discussions and yet pulled togethermultigenerational groups who have given substantivesuggestions on how we can increase graduation ratesand promote healthy lifestyles. Thank you to the IllinoisCouncil of Community College Presidents for helpingdevelop the Local Discussions.Thank you to Governor Pat Quinn for launching theYear of the Engaged Older Adult, for his strong supportof service, and for the support of staff membersTed Gibbs, Julie Smith, and Jerry Stermer.Thank you to Senate President John Cullerton and MinorityLeader Christine Radogno for joining hands in anonpartisan effort by sponsoring the May 11 IntergenerationalGathering in the Senate and the Senate Forumon Intergenerational Leadership. After that event, it wasevident that this project had “legs.”Thank you to Senator Edward Maloney and the SenateHigher Education Committee for ensuring unanimouspassage of the Interdependence of Generations Resolutionand to Senate staff Melissa Black, Kim Schultz,Nancy Hill and Kathryn Underwood.A hearty thank you to sponsors of the Summit andLocal Discussions including the Illinois Council ofCommunity College Presidents, Illinois CommunityCollege Trustees Association, Corporation for Nationaland Community Service, Serve Illinois Commission,Illinois Campus Compact, Illinois Association of AreaAgencies on Aging, Illinois Principals Association, IllinoisAssociation of Regional Superintendents, IllinoisDepartment on Aging, Illinois State Board of Education,Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Boardof Higher Education, State Universities Annuitants As-sociation & Illinois PTA. Thank you to members of theAdvisory Team for the Illinois NGA Policy Academyon the Civic Engagement of Older Adults.Thank you to SIUC Chancellor Rita Cheng, SIU Schoolof Law Dean Cynthia L. Fountaine, and AARP StateDirector Bob Gallo for supporting this publication.Last, Marion Wright Edelman says our accomplishmentsoften come from “standing on the shoulders ofour forbears.” Thank you to those who helped buildthe foundation for the accomplishments in 2010, includingRichard D. Wagner, Keith Sanders and EmilJones Jr. On July 1, 1986, the Illinois Board of HigherEducation approved a Higher Education CooperationAct grant with the idea of fostering a statewideintergenerational movement. Dick Wagner, CEO ofIBHE from 1980 to 1998 was a long-term champion forintergenerational efforts and believed that all levels ofeducation could benefit from the involvement of olderadults. Keith Sanders, IBHE CEO from 1998 to 2002,another champion for generations, convened the firstP-20 Intergenerational Service Forum and also institutionalizedthe Intergenerational Initiative at SIUC. Anotherchampion and believer, who established the SenateForum on Intergenerational Leadership, was SenatePresident Emil Jones, Jr.. He served as Senate Presidentfrom 2003 to 2009 and during that time strengthenedthe link between history and intergenerational activity.Continuance MagazineFall 2010/Winter 2011 Vol. 25 1 & 2Knowledge and Understanding Passing fromGeneration to GenerationEDITORIAL: Jane Angelis, Ph.D., Director,Intergenerational InitiativeKatelyn Kooy, SIU Law StudentAlicia Ruiz , Director, CommunicationsADDRESS: Intergenerational InitiativeSIU School of Law, Carbondale, Il 62901618-453-8636, www.solit.siu.eduContinuance Magazine was founded in 1987 with funding from theIllinois Board of Higher Education