“You’re Not Alone: Stay Connected,” is the theme of Niagara University’s Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Center’s fall 2025 bulletin boards program. Organized by Ostapenko intern Jessica Fernandez, a senior social work major, the program encourages seniors living in Niagara Falls Housing Authority’s Wrobel and Spallino Towers to build meaningful connections with their neighbors and create a sense of community.
“Maintaining social connections can help older adults with their identity and self-worth, especially during life transitions,” said Fernandez. “We hope to encourage social interactions, even if very small, to help residents stay healthy and strong and remind them that they are not alone.”
“It is always exciting to see how social work seniors connect classroom knowledge and skills to real-life situations,” said Dr. Rolanda Ward, endowed faculty director of the Ostapenko Center and chair of the social work department. “The interns determined how they could address a micro experience through a macro public-health intervention. We are grateful for our ongoing relationship with the Niagara Falls Housing Authority and their commitment to building connections across generations.”
In total, 26 bulletin boards were created by interns Fernandez, Niesha Belleus, Irina Nikitkova, and Adrianna Selkie to educate residents on why staying connected is important and how they can connect with others. In addition, the interns have created and distributed a newsletter to invite residents to an upcoming BINGO event the Ostapenko Center is sponsoring where residents can meet each other, socialize, and have fun.
