Jan Bowman

Jan Bowman has been named director of the Center for the Study of Aging and Active Retirement (CSAAR), a Coastal Carolina University educational outreach and public service project.

Bowman has considerable experience in developing and administering programs that serve aging populations. She served as professor of gerontology and director of the Institute of Gerontology at Oklahoma State University. She also has directed the Division of Continuing Education and served as professor of gerontology at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM). Prior to joining the Coastal staff, Bowman was director of continuing and industrial education at Delta Community College in Monroe, La.

During her career Bowman has been awarded more than $10 million in grants from various agencies for research projects on issues relating to aging and for the development of age-related training programs within specific industries. She also developed gerontology training programs for employees within nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout north Louisiana.

Bowman earned bachelor's and master's degrees in education from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a Ph.D. in consumer studies with a concentration in economics of aging from Oklahoma State University.

Established in 2002, CSAAR is an interdisciplinary support program that conducts research on aging and retirement issues and provides opportunities for professional development in the gerontology field. In the past two years the organization conducted a major fact-finding survey of older adults in the area, gathering valuable information about their interests, wishes and opinions relating to local services and amenities for aging people. Rocky Cartisano, an active retiree with more than 30 years of business management expertise, is associate director of the center.

Bowman says that with the continuing popularity of the Grand Strand as a retirement destination and the aging of the area's resident population, CSAAR will become an ever more valuable resource. "Programs provided by the center-whether it be research, teaching or service-will have a profound impact on enhancing the quality of life of residents in the area," she said. "Coastal is well positioned to be a major player-nationally and internationally-by capitalizing on the intellectual capital that already exists among the residents in the area and in building the academic capital of its student body. The synergy from both has the potential of improving our quality of life for generations to come."

For more information, contact CSAAR at (843) 349-4115.