About Us
Emma MacDonald
Growing up just a mile away from my grandparents, I was incredibly close to both of them. My grandfather and I shared a bond like no other—I admired him deeply, and every moment spent with him was something I cherished. After many years as a principal, teacher, and professor, my Nana finally convinced him to retire—a decision she would later come to regret. Shortly after retirement, my grandfather began a slow decline. Having lost his identity as an educator, his days became defined by inactivity, often spent sitting in front of the TV. Over time, Dementia robbed him of the ability to talk, which was especially heartbreaking given how close we had been. He passed away just three weeks before I started my freshman year of college. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that his profession was more than a career—it was his identity. Retirement not only stripped him of that identity but ultimately of his sense of purpose and joy. I hope to raise awareness for those struggling with life after retirement, encouraging them to navigate this transition in ways that allow them to rediscover purpose and meaning.
Both of us are seniors at St Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont. We are Digital Media Creation Majors with minors in Digital Media Marketing. For our capstone project we chose to focus on the Identity Shift one faces during Retirement. Even though both of us are far from retirement, this topic intrigued us, leading us to conduct research and interviews to understand this common identity loss and how to help individuals struggling. We both share personal experiences through loved ones who experienced losing their “teacher identity”
Hazel Bozikowski
Watching such an important figure in my life (my grandmother) get her spark back after retiring and finding new hobbies and other joys in life other than working, is something I’ll never forget. Growing up my Grandmother was an extremely hard worker but as I got older I noticed she may not have been as happy with her job as she made herself seem. My grandmother taught fourth grade for many years; always wanting to be a teacher from when she was a little girl. She had such a passion for When we would go over there for Sunday dinners she would almost dread going to work and complain to my Mom about it. I’d overhear her sigh and hate the thought of going to work on a Monday morning to a job she had been doing for as long as I could remember. Once she retired, it was like I had a new grandmother. She suddenly became a new person with a new passion. She picked up chair yoga and after taking many classes she became an instructor. Still to this day she is teaching chair yoga and it inspires me how she turned her life around and found a new passion after losing her “work identity". I want others who are struggling during retirement to find that new identity my grandmother did and strive to still enjoy life even if it may look different.