Clemson service-learning students teach senior citizens

Published: December 1, 2010

By Max Sewesky

CLEMSON — Clemson University students are reaching out to senior residents of the community through an agricultural education course in which they become the teachers.

The students partner with seniors at Clemson Downs, a local retirement community. After each Clemson Downs “student” becomes acquainted with his or her Clemson University “teacher,” the seniors are taught a computer skill they selected to learn during the meeting.

Dale Layfield, the Clemson professor who designed the course, believes intergenerational service-learning benefits the Clemson students as much as it does the seniors by addressing societal issues.

“In today's economy, college graduates will work with many more seniors in the workplace than in the past,” he said. “However, many students are not commonly engaged with seniors as was the case in the past.

“Biases produced by media and the emphasis pop culture has placed on youthfulness has led ‘ageism’ issues to increase,” Layfield said. “My goals are for both the residents and their teachers to potentially bond, reducing chances of generational bias.”

Clemson Downs resident John Witmer is a “repeat student” by choice.

“I've had the opportunity to participate twice in Dr. Layfield's unique ‘Campus to Senior Citizen program.’ In each case I have benefited tremendously,” he said. “I believe the students learned a great deal as well. They certainly work hard and are very accommodating.”

“Teaching Mr. Witmer for the past few weeks has been quite an eye-opening experience,” said freshman Duncan Pfaehler of his experience as a “teacher” in the course. “The Clemson Downs experience highlights the relationships that today's youth sometimes shrug off. It allows students to see the benefit of connecting with the more experienced and ultimately wiser citizens, and in the end the relationship of teacher and student blurs together as both young and old learn from and teach each other.”

Layfield said these kinds of experiences are common in the program and that many of the participants form lasting bonds that extend beyond the end of the semester they spend together. 

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**Editor’s Note: The class will hold a celebration for all of the students ­ young and old ­ marking the end of this semester’s program Dec. 6 at Clemson Downs.