Member Spotlight

Q&A with Barbara Gillogly, PhD, LMFT, CPG, from American River College, Sacramento, CA

Q: How long have you been a member and how does GSA assist with your professional development?
A: I have been a member for about 20 years.  I joined on the advice of a professor who felt it was important for students and faculty to become members of professional organizations.

Q: How did you get interested in the field of aging?
A: My degrees are in psychology and human development, and the choice was always between children and seniors.  I was raised by grandparents and seniors were always an important part of my life.  Since many of my peers were focusing on young children, I felt the opportunities would lie in the field of aging.  I tell students the only prerequisite for studying gerontology is that you like older people — I cannot teach you that.  I already loved them and felt comfortable working with them, so the choice was clear.

Q: What are your key responsibilities at your job?
A: I coordinate the gerontology program and chair the department.  This includes developing curriculum, recruiting faculty, scheduling, promoting the program, mentoring students and faculty, developing relationships within the aging community, keeping the program current, and raising money for gerontology scholarships.  Up until this year, I also taught classes.

Q: What has been your most memorable experience in gerontology and aging research?
A: My most memorable moments are not related to research, but to those I spend mentoring students and believing in them until they can believe in themselves.  At the community college, many of our students come to us after a lifetime of receiving negative messages about their abilities.  Over the course of several semesters, I see them begin to believe and bloom into strong, competent people who have so much to give to our senior communities.  They come to us with a “wounded wing” and we nurture and support them until they can fly!  This is the best part of my job.

Q: How do you feel GSA serves the field of gerontology and aging research? 
A: GSA provides the forum for cutting edge research in the field of aging.  This relatively new field is changing rapidly, and we need a professional organization that helps keep us all up to date.  It is also important to have a venue where like-minded professionals can share knowledge and experiences.

Q: Do you have any tips for emerging gerontologists?
A: Gerontology is such a wide discipline—find your niche and follow your passion, be creative, persistent, and committed.  Work to professionalize your profession through accreditation and eventual licensure.  You are serving a population that is ever increasing, becoming more diverse, and will provide unlimited opportunities.

Q: Tell us a little about your most recent activities/accomplishments?
A: I am most proud of developing a gerontology program that is recognized as a Program of Merit by AGHE, one of only a handful of programs and the only community college.  I am also so very proud of our multitude of graduates who are serving the seniors in their communities in a wide variety of ways.

Q: Have you had an important mentor in your career? If so, how did it make a difference?
A: I had mentors all along my journey from Dr. Borowiak at American River College, who tricked me into teaching, to Dr. Michelle and Dr. Somerville at Cal State Sacramento, who taught me compassion in teaching, to Dr. Hawkes at UC Davis, who made it possible for me to pursue my PhD.  My husband, Hal, has also been my mentor, supporting me in my journey and helping me to believe in myself.  Without this wonderful network of support, this fantastic career would never have happened.  This is why mentoring is something I take very seriously.