17 GERONTOLOGY

By her own account, Arlene Mollett's career in sociology began while "sitting on the curb." Arlene's undergraduate degree was in education and she had been teaching in the public school system. For some time Arlene had been interested in law school and decided to go forward with an application. However, she found that she was late for that year's entrance exam and would have to wait another year. On the advice of friends she sought to keep her study skills sharp by pursuing an M.A. in education. However, according to Arlene, "When I went to the education office for advice on the M.A. program I found that there really wasn't anyone around who could help me. I needed to do something because time was short so I decided to look at other programs. But I found the same thing, no one was around who could help me." It was at this time that Arlene found herself sitting on the curb, pondering what to do next. While there a former professor of Arlene's, a professor of sociology, happened by and stopped to chat. When hearing her story he suggested that she pursue sociology. Arlene took the advice and eventually earned her M.A. in a program which was largely academic in emphasis.

After earning her M.A. Arlene left public school teaching and took a college teaching position. The courses she taught were rather straightforward academic sociology. She had acquired skills and perspectives, but did not see the these as potential resources. Eventually, because of university rules for faculty development Arlene needed to move on to the next degree, the Ph.D. While the selection of sociology as the discipline for the Ph.D. was not as serendipitous as with the M.A., her choice of graduate school and specialization bore similar markings. Her choice of school did include quality considerations, but she was as motivated by family concerns as well. She needed to stay within a reasonable distance of extended family. Her eventual choice of gerontology as her primary specialty had less apparent reason. According to Arlene, "My advisor suggested that I take a course in gerontology because all the other good classes were full."

Amazingly enough, that beginning, "on the curb," has mushroomed over the next dozen years in to a career that has influenced national policy regarding older Americans and has resulted in the allocations of millions of dollars in public and private resources. When asked about these rather haphazard beginnings to a highly successful career Arlene offers the following perspective. "My career in sociology/gerontology certainly wasn't planned. I look at it as a series of `differential opportunities!' But more importantly I've learned that if you are good at what you are doing, things will work out. This is not luck however, it is intentional. What it takes is, doing your homework, being enthusiastic, being positive, accepting no substitute for hard work, not being afraid to say `I don't know', and quickly adding, `but I will find out', accepting an element of risk, and focusing on the fun and enjoyment of what you do. When it is no longer fun, do something else."

Arlene's "philosophy of life" does, however, have its concrete edges. After completing her Ph.D. she returned to college teaching and took on the directorship of her university's gerontology institute. She also chaired the university's master's program in gerontology. Under her leadership the program can now boast of a 98% placement rate for graduates! In the Institute Arlene oversees a program of contract research for, and services to, agencies and organizations servicing the elderly. In the year past her institute did business totaling nearly $500,000. Add to this Arlene's lecture circuit work and consulting and you have a most high– profile career. In speaking fees alone Arlene earns in the neighborhood of $30,000 per year. In consulting she earns from $250 – $1000 per day. Nationally known speakers/consultants can earn $500 to $1500 per day. Arlene is in this league, but chooses to do part of her work as a service to those whom she serves, older Americans. The point is, when Arlene says, "do your homework," this is more than an admonition to work hard towards some ambiguous goal. It is a concrete course of action with definite objectives and quanitifiable results. It should be remembered that Arlene does all this while maintaining a position as a full–time faculty member with an income in the $40,000–$50,000 range.

In fact, since that "curb" Arlene has developed three careers. She teaches, administers the institute, and speaks/consults. The following briefly reviews her work in these areas. In the institute she administers an organization designed to meet the needs of different types of elder–service agencies/organizations. This would include doing statistical analyses for county needs assessments regarding the lives of older people, conference management for organizations providing continuing education, technical reports, and training manuals. In her speaking/consulting Arlene works with agencies/organizations which service older Americans in a variety of ways. She will develop presentations and do training for elder service management, Alzheimer awareness, elder abuse, and interviewing skills. The significance of this is that in our country we are in a position of having to learn as we go along regarding older Americans. Each year we experience more and new relations with older Americans. How to deal effectively with this growing population is the challenge. Therefore, nearly all organizations, and certainly all communities and families will have to evaluate and improve the ways they have normally dealt with the elderly. Some have referred to the elderly as the population with the most economic growth potential. This means that their is great demand for elder services, and thus great demand for people proficient in the field, gerontologists. This is where her third career hooks in. As a professor she prepares students, a younger generation, to anticipate the needs of and provide necessary services for an older generation. Her placement rate of graduates attest to her success in this endeavor.

In terms of sociology, Arlene wants students to know that "no other discipline prepares them so broadly." Many disciplines prepare you well, but for only one type of work, or with one set of skills. In sociology you find not only a wide variety of sub–disciplines, but a perspective which promotes adaptability and learning. Arlene notes that, "You are always dealing with groups of people, whatever the issue, and this is basic sociology." In one sense, once you are in the discipline then all variables of life can be informed from the perspective of that discipline. Only if you escape people altogether could you possibly escape the parameters of sociology.

Arlene has blended her discipline and her philosophy of life into a multifaceted career. It is one which is always busy, but one which still meets the prerequisite of "fun and enjoyment." She advances the cause of older Americans by influencing the lives of younger Americans. She communicates and teaches others to perceive the world of the elderly in new ways. And her audience is as likely to be governors and senators as it is to be students and primary care givers. It is a long way from that "curb." But it is a way she would not exchange for another.

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