Program of Merit
A Guarantee of Quality
Around twenty years ago, professionals in the field of aging from both academic and
clinical backgrounds, began discussing standards which could be used to guide the
development of Gerontology Programs across the nation. In 1989, a special task force
comprised of members of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education wrote
the first edition of the AGHE Standards and Guidelines document. In 1995, another
special task force was appointed by the AGHE Executive Board to look into the possibility
of developing a process for giving a "stamp of approval" to those programs which abided
by the standards and guidelines document. In late 1998, the Program of Merit initiative
was approved and the training of reviewers began. In summer of 1999, all the pieces
were in place to begin reviewing institutions for the POM designation.
The Association developed this national initiative to recognize gerontology programs
in higher education which have maintained a standard of excellence. In the summer
of 1999, the Gerontology Program at Missouri State University was selected as the
pilot program to be reviewed through this new process. While programs in the future
would be reviewed by a team of three reviewers, the Missouri State program, as the
pilot program, was reviewed by twenty reviewers. In November of 1999, Missouri State
was recognized as the first program in the nation to receive the Program of Merit
designation. In their evaluation of the Gerontology Program, reviewers cited such
strengths as a well-developed curriculum, applied experience offered to students through
the practicum placement and other service-learning opportunities, the scholarship
of the gerontology faculty, academic performance of students, employment of students
after graduation, and the ongoing commitment to community service by students and
faculty.
The Program of Merit designation is a milestone for the program which achieved its
twentieth anniversary in the year 2000. This accomplishment validates the hard work
of the gerontology faculty and the students who have tried to create an applied and
academic program which is one of the best in the nation. The Gerontology Program
at Missouri State University was certified as a Program of Merit through 2012. (this
reflects the extension we received)