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The Ohio Association of Gerontology and Education (OAGE) officially recognized Donna Alexander, LNHA, MBA, CDP, as the 2026 Educator of the Year at Ohio State University’s Blackwell Inn and Conference Center. Alexander, an esteemed associate lecturer in the Long-Term Care Administration Program at ������Ƶ, received the prestigious award from OAGE President Daniel Van Dussen, Ph.D. This recognition highlights her exceptional contributions to aging-related teaching, practitioner training, and healthcare service improvement across Ohio.

As a leader in the gerontology field, Alexander has spent her career elevating industry standards. Her work bridges critical gaps between healthcare administration theory and high-quality senior care delivery. Beyond her institutional role, her three-year tenure on the OAGE Board reflects a deep commitment to systemic educational advancement.

Cultivating Student Success and Resiliency

Alexander’s legacy is defined by her profound impact as an educator and student mentor. She is a passionate and dedicated educator whose work reflects a deep commitment to preparing the next generation of long-term care administrators. From the very beginning of each semester, she sets high expectations while cultivating a supportive and engaging environment where students feel seen and valued.

Alexander makes it clear that she genuinely cares about her students’ success, recognizing the many challenges they often balance—including employment, caregiving responsibilities, and academic demands. She actively connects students with campus and community resources, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive. Inspired by her students’ intelligence, resilience, and passion, she fosters an environment of mutual respect and growth.

Innovation in Experiential Learning

Her teaching extends far beyond traditional classroom instruction. Alexander is an innovator in experiential learning, having developed the Design Innovation: Intergenerational Long-term Care Mobility Project. This interdisciplinary course brings students together with older adults, eldercare facilities, and professionals from multiple fields. Through this collaboration, students rethink and redesign long-term care practices while developing creative, real-world solutions that enhance quality of life for residents.

Beyond the classroom, Alexander creates transformative opportunities for connection and impact. She engages students with The Legacy Project (TLP), Inc., a national nonprofit that pairs students with older adults to preserve personal histories and foster meaningful relationships. Through a partnership with Maplewood Senior Living in Cuyahoga Falls, Alexander facilitated student-resident collaborations that culminated in the publication of Dancing Through the Decades, and Connecting the Pieces of Our Lives, a collection of residents’ life stories. Students consistently describe this work as profoundly meaningful, expressing deep gratitude for the chance to form lasting intergenerational connections and contribute to preserving these important narratives.

Shaping the Future of the Profession

By inspiring subsequent generations of practitioners, her mentorship actively secures a higher standard of care for Ohio's aging population. Her dedication to student success, commitment to innovation, and ability to create impactful, real-world learning experiences make a lasting difference—not only in the lives of her students, but in the future of long-term care.

"Donna’s recognition as the OAGE Educator of the Year is a testament to her outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to our students,” said Alicia R. Crowe, interim dean for the College of Education, Health and Human Services at ������Ƶ. “As a deeply devoted professional, she does more than teach long-term care administration; she shapes the future of the profession. Her passion for excellence inspires our entire college community and directly elevates the quality of care for older adults across Ohio."