BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. (June 13, 2019) – By way of an emergent partnership with Discovery Senior Living, 16 students from Endicott College (Beverly, Mass.) gained firsthand knowledge about the inner workings of today’s senior living communities and explored burgeoning career opportunities in the fast-growing industry.
As members of the College’s DECA organization, the students represent a sampling of Endicott’s brightest from disciplines such as marketing, finance, communications, and sports management. The students spent a day touring two Discovery Senior Living communities, Aston Gardens At Tampa Bay and Discovery Village At Tampa Palms. There, they met with community and corporate leadership, heard industry and career presentations, and explored individual business segments, such as culinary operations, sales management, and entertainment and event planning.
Many expressed gratitude for the firsthand knowledge and experiences gained interfacing with residents, community personnel, and the Discovery executive team. One student said of their experience, “It changed the way I thought about senior living, opened my eyes to an inspiring industry, (and) made me recognize the job opportunities available.”
This partnership was developed through ongoing efforts by Discovery Senior Living CEO Richard Hutchinson, Endicott College’s Aileen T. Torrance (Assistant Dean, Curtis L Gerrish School of Business), and David W. Vigneron, Vice President, Institutional Advancement, to afford students real-world corporate experiences, as well as break down stereotypes that inaccurately portray senior living communities as end-of-life destinations.
“The students witnessed firsthand how independent living and assisted living environments can empower residents, promote longevity, and facilitate a fun and active lifestyle,” Hutchinson said. “We hope this partnership will help increase awareness and educate members of the incoming workforce about available career opportunities in the senior living industry.”
Discovery Senior Living has also made a multi-year scholarship commitment whereby $10,000 in financial support will be given to Endicott College’s Corporate Scholars Program in each of the next five years. The need-based funding is intended to benefit deserving students majoring in nursing and hospitality.
In addition to the financial awards, four Endicott students per year will be named Discovery Senior Living Scholars in each of the next five years. Scholarship winners will earn valuable internship and one-on-one mentoring opportunities, which can help them gain an edge in the job market following graduation.
About Discovery Senior Living
Discovery Senior Living is a family of companies which includes: Discovery Management Group, Discovery Development Group, Discovery Design Concepts, Discovery Realty Group, Discovery Marketing Group, and Discovery At Home, a Medicare-certified home healthcare company. With almost three decades of experience, the award-winning management group has been developing, building, marketing, and operating upscale, luxury senior-living communities across the United States. With a flourishing portfolio of more than 9,500 existing home or homes under development, Discovery Senior Living has become a recognized industry leader in creating world-class, resort-style communities.
Media Inquiries:
Heidi Miller, Director of Marketing
hmiller@discovermgt.com | 239.301.5330