Partnering with Catholic Charities of Terre Haute and the Wabash Independent Living and Learning Center, this oral history project forged bonds within the Ryves neighborhood, between ISU and the Ryves neighborhood, and among the students in HLTH 427 (Special Topics: Society and Aging) and the residents of the Ryves neighborhood. Students conducted oral history interviews with older adult residents in the Ryves neighborhood, created posters highlighting the participants’ lives in the neighborhood, and presented the posters at a reception in the neighborhood that will be open to the community. As students in a course on society and aging, this process was invaluable for exposing the students to many aspects of aging in our society, beyond their experience with their own grandparents. Furthermore, this project sent the message to older adult residents of the Ryves neighborhood that they are valued members of our community, which contributes to their quality of life. Finally, this project began creating a lasting record of a group of aging individuals whose knowledge and experience may otherwise be unavailable to future generations.
