When Ari Gill transferred to the University of Southern California from UC San Diego, she was eager to find meaningful ways to get involved on campus. As she explored volunteer opportunities through USC’s pre-health organizations, one opportunity immediately stood out: Conversations to Remember (C2R).
“I really enjoyed the mission because I feel like there were already a ton of clubs at USC that visit seniors in assisted living communities,” Ari explained. “But I felt like that didn’t account for older adults who may not be receiving those visits or who may need more consistent companionship.”
Inspired by Conversations to Remember’s mission to combat older adult isolation through virtual companionship, Ari saw an opportunity to bring the organization to USC. What began as an offer to help recruit volunteers quickly evolved into founding a Conversations to Remember student organization at USC, giving students a new and unique way to make a meaningful impact while addressing a growing, but often overlooked issue.
The Beginnings: Building the Community
Launching a new registered student organization (RSO) required more than just enthusiasm. Ari credits much of the club’s success to the incredible team that helped transform an idea into reality.
“I came in with a lot of ideas,” she laughed. “My vice president, Katherine Busselen, was the one who helped organize everything. I’d say, ‘Let’s do this,’ and she’d turn it into calendars, documents, and actual events.”
She also emphasized the importance of the club’s executive board, including their programming chair, who worked tirelessly to secure meeting spaces on a campus with more than 800 student organizations, their treasurer, who managed fundraising and budgeting, and faculty advisor Dr. Tara Mastro, whose background in gerontology perfectly complemented the organization’s mission.
“I really couldn’t have done it without them,” Ari said. “The amount of work everyone put in behind the scenes deserves just as much recognition.”
Education and Understanding
One of the biggest challenges the club faced during its first semester was helping students understand what makes Conversations to Remember unique.
“People would ask, ‘Why don’t you just visit assisted living homes?'” Ari recalled. “There are already so many organizations doing incredible work in person. Our goal is to support older adults whose companionship needs aren’t always met through those visits.” C2R clubs, such as the one at USC, bring volunteers together in community, supporting the broader C2R mission to provide virtual companionship to older adults whose social needs may not be fully met.
Rather than focusing solely on volunteer recruitment, the club also dedicated time to educating members about older adult isolation and effective communication strategies. Club meetings included discussions on topics such as how to speak respectfully with older adults who may be living with dementia, and the importance of meeting older adults where they are in conversation. These lessons extended far beyond volunteer calls.
“I had members come back and tell me that what they learned helped them communicate better with their own grandparents,” Ari shared. “That was really rewarding, because it showed these skills can make a difference in everyday life as well.”
More Than Meetings
The club balances educational meetings with service projects, brainstorming sessions, and community-building events. During their first semester, members collaborated on event proposals, discussed future directions for the organization, and even wrapped up the semester with a fun trivia and candy night.
One particularly memorable event that Conversations to Remember at USC hosted was an “Extra Care” activity (referred to organizationally at C2R as a Senior Support Event) centered around capoeira, an Afro-Brazilian martial art.
Each semester, every C2R club is paired with one older adult to offer additional care and connection beyond the virtual visits. These events give students a tangible way to show care, often resulting in a craft, video, or other personalized gesture sent to the senior. The C2R at USC club hosted a capoeira activity because it’s their assigned senior’s favorite martial art. Members learned the movements together, recorded a joyful video, and sent it to their older adult match!
“It was amazing seeing everyone smiling, laughing, and genuinely excited to support our older adult,” Ari said. “Watching people come together around this mission was one of the most rewarding moments of the semester.”
Members also contributed their own creative talents to create an Extra Care package. One student created a beautiful portrait of the senior, while another crocheted a handmade dog that resembled the senior’s pet.
“I love seeing people bring what they’re passionate about,” Ari said. “When someone incorporates their own talents into an Extra Care project, you can tell how much love goes into it.”
A Shared Mission
For Ari, perhaps the most rewarding part of leading the club has been discovering how many students genuinely connect with Conversations to Remember’s mission.
“We started during the spring semester, which can be difficult because new clubs have less visibility,” she said. “But people still showed up with so much excitement and passion. Once they understood why we focus on older adults experiencing isolation, they really embraced the mission.”
Her advice for volunteers is simple: find common ground with your older adult.
Ari does this well through her weekly visit with her older adult match through C2R’s virtual visit program. “My older adult and I both loved baking,” Ari shared. “We could spend almost an hour talking about banana pudding or strawberry shortcake. Having a shared interest helps conversations flow naturally and creates a genuine connection.”
For students interested in starting a Conversations to Remember club of their own, Ari encourages them to surround themselves with people who complement their strengths.
“Find a support system that’s just as passionate as you are,” she said. “Everyone brings different skills to the table. Lean into those strengths and let people contribute what they do best.”
As the USC club enters its next year, Ari hopes to continue growing membership while encouraging students to bring their own passions and creativity into the organization’s events and volunteer efforts.
“I’d love to see more people take something they already love, whether it’s art, crochet, music, or anything else, and turn it into a way to brighten an older adult’s day.”
With dedicated student leaders, passionate volunteers, and a commitment to combating older adult isolation, Conversations to Remember at USC is doing an amazing job at creating meaningful connections that extend far beyond campus.
Interested in following the club’s journey? Visit Conversations to Remember at USC on Instagram to learn more about upcoming events and ways to get involved.