John Spruill III, PhD

What do you remember best about your time in the Gerontology Program?

While in the Gerontology Program, I fondly recall the early stages of organization among the students during the time when Gerontology was only offered as a minor, as well as the GSA conventions- allowing us the opportunity to network with other students and professionals.

Who were your mentors and what attributes did they have that helped you?

My mentors were: Dr. Ferraro, Dr. Chris Weber-Fox, Dr. Jessica Huber, Dr. David Waters, Dr. Hyner, and Dr. Janet Wilmoth. They all brought their areas of expertise to my experience, while allowing me ample space to carve out my own niche.

How did you get interested in gerontology?

I became interested in Gerontology while working in several nursing home facilities during my speech and language externship experiences.

What research experiences did you have at Purdue that helped form your current agenda?

My research experiences under all of my doctoral committee members helped to form my current agenda, as they all represent very unique disciplines. Under this program, each student’s journey is very different, but shares the common thread of aging.

Anything else you would like to add?

It has been a distinct honor to be a first in meshing the two disciplines of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences and Gerontology under the dual-title program. Even more rewarding are the lifelong connections that I have made across disciplines, which can all be attributed to CALC- as it is masterfully designed to create and shape careers that meet today’s interdisciplinary needs.