Flipping the Script on Aging: Lincoln University Hosts 2025 Missouri Institute on Meaningful Aging

The 2025 Missouri Institute on Meaningful Aging (MIMA) gathering took place August 25–27, hosted by the Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging at Lincoln University of Missouri.

Lincoln University’s Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging hosted the 2025 Missouri Institute on Meaningful Aging (MIMA) Aug. 25–27, bringing together community leaders, health care professionals and older adults from across Missouri to explore new perspectives on purposeful, vital aging.

The majority of seniors who attended MIMA are lay leaders from their communities who have engaged with Lincoln University Cooperative Extension programs over the past two years. These individuals have either taken on leadership roles or demonstrated leadership potential, and they are carefully selected by regional leadership to participate. Through the lay leader program, participants are equipped to share knowledge, foster engagement and promote meaningful aging initiatives within their local communities.

This year’s theme, "Flipping the Script on Aging," challenged conventional narratives about growing older by promoting it as a time of growth, contribution and engagement rather than decline. The three-day conference drew participants eager to learn strategies for healthy aging and community involvement.

Keynote Speakers Inspire Action and Resilience

The institute featured dynamic keynote speakers who embodied the conference theme.

• Vickie Calmese, a registered nurse and comedian known as “Mz. Vickie,” opened with her HEALTHLARIOUS™ approach, blending health education and humor to promote wellness.

• Kim Becking, motivational speaker and New York Times bestselling author behind the Unstoppable Momentum™ Movement, energized audiences with strategies for turning challenges into opportunities.

• On the final day, Dr. Patricia Larke, professor emerita at Texas A&M University, and Dr. AlTricia Larke shared insights on leaving meaningful legacies and advancing educational equity.

• The conference concluded with a capnote address by Apostle Russell Freeman of Columbia.

Sessions Address Real-World Concerns

Concurrent sessions throughout the conference covered practical topics for aging adults, including:

• Scam prevention: “Are You Smarter Than a Scam Artist?” led by Samantha Schnell of Care Connection for Aging Services.

• Memory and independence: Beverly Berry of the Alzheimer’s Association shared strategies for maintaining cognitive health.

• Holistic health: Dr. Xaivier Tipler discussed longevity and joy through chiropractic care and wellness practices.

Community Engagement and Creative Expression

Beyond workshops and lectures, MIMA emphasized social connection and creative outlets. Participants joined chair exercise sessions led by certified personal trainer Estelle Brooks, painting workshops with Suzanne Roush of DIY Creative Studio and storytelling on health narratives with Dr. Adrienne Hunter-Green.

Social highlights included a screening of The Six Triple Eight and a “Night in White” banquet honoring community leaders as “boots on the ground.”

Lincoln University Tour Connects Past and Future

A guided tour of Lincoln University’s historic campus, led by academic librarian and university archivist Mark Schleer, connected participants with the institution’s heritage as an 1890 land-grant historically Black university.

Partnerships Strengthen Impact

The institute was supported by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension and community partners.

Angel Surdin, chief of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, emphasized the importance of addressing health disparities that shape how people age. Yvonne Matthews, director of the Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, highlighted participants’ role as advocates, calling them “boots on the ground” in promoting health literacy and aging well.

Looking Ahead

Since its founding, MIMA has provided a forum for addressing health issues and solutions for older adults. The Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging continues its mission to improve the quality of life for Missouri’s aging population through education, research-based information and community engagement.

The 2025 institute reinforced that aging is not about limitation but about potential — encouraging participants to flip their own scripts and embrace new opportunities at every stage of life.

Click here to view more photos from MIMA.