Tag: education

This week’s Roundtable featured Andrew Carle, a nationally recognized expert in senior living innovation and a professor in the Aging and Health Program at Georgetown University. 

As founder of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com, Andrew is a pioneer of the University Retirement Community (URC) model—a rapidly growing concept that blends lifelong learning with senior living. He shared how this model is redefining aging by connecting older adults with dynamic, intellectually rich university environments.

Andrew explored how URCs meet the needs of today’s retirees—among the most educated in history—by offering continued growth, intergenerational engagement and deeper purpose. He also discussed the benefits for universities navigating enrollment shifts and for senior living providers looking to evolve. From new certification standards to creative partnership paths, Andrew offered a fresh perspective on how URCs are changing the future of aging.

A BOOMING MODEL FOR A NEW GENERATION 

University Retirement Communities (URCs) are no longer niche—they’re the fastest-growing segment in senior living. With highly educated baby boomers seeking connection, purpose and stimulation, the campus setting is becoming the natural next chapter for active aging.

A WIN-WIN FOR UNIVERSITIES IN TRANSITION

Facing enrollment declines and a shifting donor base, universities are discovering strategic value in URCs. These partnerships offer new revenue streams, deeper alumni ties and a powerful way to serve a changing community where adults 65+ will soon outnumber those under 18.

A CLASSROOM WITHOUT WALLS 

URCs aren’t just homes—they’re dynamic learning hubs. Residents attend lectures and performances, while students gain hands-on experience through internships, jobs and volunteer work. The result is an intergenerational environment rich in purpose, relevance and real-world learning.

A BRAND POWER MONEY CAN’T BUY 

For senior living providers, partnering with a university unlocks something no ad campaign can deliver: lifelong brand loyalty. Residents bring decades of emotional connection to their alma maters, making the campus affiliation both meaningful and marketable.

A PATH FOR EXISTING COMMUNITIES TO LEVEL UP 

Communities that weren’t purposely built as URCs can still evolve into strong university partners. With proximity, initiative and structured programming, even standalone providers can “partner their way” into the model—bringing a new dimension to their resident experience.

CERTIFICATION THAT SIGNALS QUALITY AND CONNECTION 

A new certification program, based on a 5-criteria model Carle established in 2006 and which has been widely accepted as the standard for defining a “University Based Retirement Community (UBRC),” has been launched as a component of UniversityRetirementCommunities.com. 

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here. 

LeadingAge PA’s Fellows in Leadership program is a one-year, four-session program that focuses on effective leadership practices. Participants will gain the skills and confidence to enact true change to impact their real-life challenges.

At Varsity, we’ll be following coaches and participants as they make their way through the program. I kicked things off by talking to Diane Burfeindt, Vice President of Population Health and Housing at Presbyterian Senior Living, who is starting her third year as a Fellows in Leadership coach.

Derek: Thank you for talking to us. What motivated you to become a coach?
Diane: I was a 2012 graduate of the Larry Minnix Leadership Academy at LeadingAge and that was a life-changing experience — both personally and professionally. As LeadingAge PA started to evolve its program, I wanted to bring that experience to more people.

Derek: What kinds of experiences will the group share?
Diane: Sessions are each two or three days in different parts of the state. The participants will interact with experienced leaders from the aging services community and develop a network of colleagues. During each session, we tour a host community that’s part of LeadingAge PA. It’s really nice to get out and do that because a lot of people have not seen communities other than their own.

Derek: How is this program different from traditional leadership training?
Diane: It makes the experience personal to you. You’re not just sitting in a classroom and learning; you’re talking with others. A lot of us don’t get a chance to sit back and reflect on our challenges, to talk with people about how we might apply lessons to leadership issues we’re experiencing. It’s an incredibly valuable experience.

Derek: Who will facilitate the program:
Diane: MHS Consulting in conjunction with LeadingAge PA staff, are facilitating the program, and have included learning from leaders within our field that can offer very hands-on, personal insights.

Derek: What role do coaches like yourself play?
Diane: We will each have a small team of five or six, and we will stay with that team the whole year — helping connect what the Fellows are learning in the program with their actual work and leadership

Derek: Are participants from all areas and levels of leadership?
Diane: Absolutely: new leaders, seasoned leaders, middle-level leaders. Just in our last class, there were people from accounting, dietary, administration, activities, housing, nursing, home care — you name it.

Derek: How has the program strengthened your own leadership skills?
Diane: There’s so much I learned during the program and afterwards. I turned the corner on my leadership skills. Utilizing the alumni network since I graduated has been a total game-changer. The position I’m in now is a direct result of going through the program.

Derek: Why did it make such a difference?
Diane: Before the program, I thought that I needed to have everything figured out, that my job was to have a plan and implement it through leadership. I have since learned how many opportunities come my way when I know what I want to accomplish but leave the path open as to how I accomplish it. I allow more people in and follow up on opportunities that come to me. That is exponentially better than having it all figured out beforehand.

Derek: Does this program actually teach people to lead?
Diane: It doesn’t teach you how to lead step by step; it is more about learning what it means to be a leader. You might have had blinders on in the past as to what you thought was leadership and how you were leading. You realize that everyone is going through the struggle of finding the best way to lead — it’s a very personal time.

Derek: Does Fellows in Leadership confirm peoples’ desire to work in the senior living field?
Diane: Without a doubt! I’ve had so many people say that this program really reaffirmed their commitment to senior living — a lot of that is because they got the opportunity to meet with other people in the field and feel connected to them.

The first session of Fellows in Leadership will kick off on March 26. We’ll be following the program’s progress on the Varsity blog.