Dr. Mary Ann Erickson has a mission: To encourage students to take a deeper look at their fears about aging. As an associate professor of gerontology at Ithaca College, she’s working to help others to understand the kinds of thoughts and misconceptions that lead to ageism. Through Mary Ann’s teaching, students engage fears and transform them through contemplative practice. “Students think that mindfulness is about having nothing on your mind,” says Mary Ann. “I try to point out that it’s about being a good observer of your mind, examining your thoughts, and asking ‘why am I thinking that?’”

Jennifer is passionate about the connection between mindfulness and education. As a customer success manager at LinkedIn Learning, she helps others get the most out of their learning experiences every day. Working with university communities nationwide, she holds information sessions for users of LinkedIn’s online learning platform. At the end of each presentation, she incorporates a few minutes of reflection time. “Before my participants leave me and go off to the next thing, we take a moment of silence” says Jennifer. “It’s all about being present in the moment. That silence can create a huge sense of relief for people.”