One could say Julie Boggess, ’85, chose her career path early in life. Growing up in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, she found her calling after befriending Eddie, an older neighbor who lived across the street.
“As a child, I knew I liked old people,” said Boggess, who graduated from the School of Family and Consumer Sciences with a degree in Family and Child Studies. “I spent time hanging out with Eddie, and we walked our dogs together almost every day after school. I also loved being with my grandparents; visiting their farm in central Illinois was always such a fun adventure.”
Boggess, an instructor in Gerontology and Leadership in Aging Services at NIU and Vice President of Grant Initiatives with AGE-u-cate® Training Institute, said her experience with Eddie and her grandparents shaped her life and her career choice. After earning her degree, she took a job as a social service assistant in a nursing home.
“While the prospect of working in a nursing home raised some eyebrows, I was not intimidated,” Boggess said. “I thought about the fact that these older people would probably appreciate the company of a younger person, and I would enjoy helping them.”
While working at the nursing home she saw room for improvement. With that as a goal and her motivation, she set out to make a difference.
“I was convinced that we have a societal obligation to provide proper care of our older citizens,” Boggess said. “I wanted to be part of making that happen.”
Two nursing home jobs and four years later, a mentor encouraged her to take the licensed nursing home administrator exam. And today, with three decades of experience and a Master of Public Administration degree, Boggess describes her career in the senior housing and healthcare industry as a great privilege.
“There is a great privilege working where people live; knowing and understanding this has been the foundation of my philosophy about working in aging service communities,” Boggess said. “We are invited into their kitchens and living rooms to do our work. There is an opportunity to form relationships with those we serve and with their families.”
She’s shared countless triumphs, sorrows and more hugs and smiles than she can remember. And although working in aging services comes with challenges, she is hopeful for the future.
Boggess stressed the importance of educating the younger generation so they can appreciate serving our most cherished and vulnerable older citizens.
“The most rewarding teaching moments are when I connect with a student who has that ‘aha’ moment realizing their interest in a career working with older adults,” Boggess said. “Igniting that interest and helping to guide students toward a career is a special opportunity for me.”
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