INFO students collaborate with seniors on projects ranging from mobile app development to business plans
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In a bright classroom at the University of Maryland’s Shady Grove campus, a group of students sit in a circle, sketching wireframes on a whiteboard. Across from them, an older adult leans in, offering feedback and sharing stories. This is a typical session of TechBridge, an innovative intergenerational mentorship program where students teach older adults about digital technologies, while the seniors help students develop communication and professional skills.
Led by University of Maryland College of Information (INFO) Professor Galina Madjaroff Reitz, TechBridge has become a transformative experience for both students and older adults. Over the past five semesters, more than 200 students have participated, collaborating with seniors on projects ranging from mobile app development to business plans.
“I’ve always been involved in intergenerational activities,” says Reitz, reflecting on her decade-long journey working with older adults. “From my days at UMBC teaching a digital storytelling course to now leading TechBridge, I’ve seen how powerful these connections can be.”
The program began as a partnership with Empowering the Ages, a nonprofit that connects older adults with K-12 students. Reitz saw an opportunity to expand this model to the university level. “They had never tapped into the university space,” she explains. “We decided to launch TechBridge as a pilot program to see how it would work.”
Each semester, Reitz pairs 15 older adult volunteers with student teams in her classes. The projects vary—last semester, they built a mobile app together. “The students teach seniors about design thinking and wireframes, while the seniors provide feedback and collaborate on the project,” Reitz says. “At the end of the semester, they present their work together.”
The program’s structure is carefully designed to maximize engagement. Students alternate between learning technical skills and meeting with their senior volunteers. “The weeks we don’t meet with volunteers, we focus on content,” Reitz explains. “Then, when they see their volunteers the following week, they share what they’ve learned and work on the project.”
The sessions are highly interactive. “When we have the volunteers in the classroom, they disperse into different rooms and talk through the project,” Reitz says. “It’s a lot of face-to-face interaction, which really helps both sides.”
For the older adults, the program is a chance to give back and stay engaged. Margi Kramer, a senior volunteer, describes her experience working with a team developing a social-emotional growth app for elementary school students. “This group was very diverse in terms of personalities, but they all stepped up to the plate,” she says. “I incorporated learning styles when I worked with them. At the beginning, we talked about their strengths and areas they wanted to improve.”
Kramer emphasizes the mutual benefits of the program. “I love working with younger people,” she says. “It gives me insight into where they’re at in life. These are the people who will be leading us, and I want to understand them. Hopefully, they felt what I added was helpful.”
The program has also helped students develop essential skills for the tech sector. “Any exposure to someone with industry experience is invaluable,” Reitz says. “It helps students build confidence, learn how to present themselves, and develop project management and communication skills.”
One of the program’s biggest successes is the lasting relationships it fosters. “We have repeat volunteers who specifically ask to work with our students,” Reitz says. “One volunteer even requested the same team the following semester because they had built such a strong bond.”
To address initial challenges with engagement, TechBridge introduced aging sensitivity training. “In the beginning, some students were on their phones or not making eye contact,” Reitz recalls. “The training helped them understand the volunteers’ perspective and the importance of reciprocity.”
For Reitz, the program’s impact is clear. “The students find the experience really beneficial,” she says. “They start out apprehensive, but by the end, they’ve gained life advice and communication skills that will serve them well in their careers.”
As TechBridge continues to grow, it stands as a testament to the power of intergenerational collaboration. “It’s not just about technology,” Reitz says. “It’s about building bridges between generations and creating meaningful connections that enrich everyone involved.”