Episode 7:7 Nancy Swanger with Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living on Collaborations that Count

In the past 10 years, Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living at Washington State University has grown from humble beginnings to a full-fledged interdisciplinary major in senior living management. Housed in the hospitality school in the business college, the Institute runs the gamut of non-credit offerings up through PhD options.

About Nancy

Dr. Nancy Swanger is the Associate Dean and Founding Director of the Granger Cobb Institute for Senior Living, housed in the School of Hospitality Business Management, and the Associate Dean for Inter-College Partnerships in the Carson College of Business at Washington State University. In addition to her administrative duties, she teaches various courses in the curriculum—professional development, senior living operations, and special topics focusing on current trends or industry issues.

Nancy has extensive restaurant experience as a co-worker, manager, district manager, and owner. She and her husband, Larry, owned and operated up to eight Subway restaurants from 1988-2017, and they own two independent concepts in Moscow, Idaho—Gambino’s and the Varsity Diner. Her research interests lie in the areas of senior living, quick-serve restaurant operations, food safety/sanitation, and hospitality curriculum. Prior to coming to WSU, Nancy taught at the University of Idaho and Lewis-Clark State College.

Key Takeaways

• The Institute’s three buckets include 1. education, 2. data analytics and research and 3. partnerships and service.
• The Faculty Fellow program collaborates across campus to leverage educators doing work in the aging space. The research effort spans multiple colleges, departments, and campuses.
• Hospitality and senior living are going to intersect in a big way for the greater good. There's going to be great opportunities for both sides.
• There will be growing demand for spas, salons, and wellness services. Baby Boomers will demand massages, facials, pedicures, and manicures, and other wellness services.
• We will see more partnerships in senior living, especially in the middle market.Operators won’t have to provide health care, food, and beverage and all the activities.
• The new generation of college students want meaningful purposeful work. What could be more meaningful than making the difference in someone’s life on a daily basis?