In the summer of my first year of graduate school, I began working as a research assistant for Dr. Ken Ferraro. For several years, I was fortunate to be able to work in his research group where I learned a great deal about aging and health issues from him and the other students in this group. During this time, I was a part of several projects where I helped develop surveys, mediate focus groups, manage data, and conduct data analyses. Under his guidance, I developed as a researcher and my interest in aging, particularly in the family setting, grew.

I had become very interested in the parent-adult child relationship and the social support exchanged between parents and their adult children. So, I was very fortunate when Purdue hired Dr. Jill Suitor who was (and is) an expert in the study of parent-adult child relationships. Luckily, she was in need of a research assistant and I began working with her in 2005. I worked on her Within-Family Differences Study as a member of her research group for the next 6 years where I transcribed and coded qualitative data, learned and practiced complex statistical analyses for within-family data, and experienced the grant writing process from development of the grant proposal through funding of the project. In working with Dr. Suitor, I gained invaluable knowledge and skills in research, writing, mentoring, and professional development.

There are so many things that I was able to do and learn by being a part of CALC; it is difficult to choose which experiences were most helpful or noteworthy. A great deal of being a part of CALC centered on my development as a scholar. Through the course work and other activities, I learned the knowledge and skills needed to do research in the area of aging. But being a part of CALC provided even more than just the development of skills and knowledge.

One of the most unique experiences I believe CALC offered was the opportunity to go into the community to connect with and serve older adults. One of my favorite experiences as a CALC student was going to Westminster Village to participate in an internet tutorial for the residents. Another rewarding experience was working with a group of older adults in a writing club to help them put together a book of their writings. Working with these individuals one-on-one helped me gain a whole new perspective on aging.