A new Michigan State University initiative is using technology to connect older adults one-on-one with college students and other community members to enhance digital literacy – and in the process is creating opportunities for “connection” between people. The project is made possible through funding from AARP to the Virtual Connections program in the MSU School of Social Work in partnership with the Generations Connect program of MSU AgeAlive in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. Funding was awarded in July as part of a 2026 AARP Challenge Grant. Together, the group formed the Digital Companions project.
Through the leadership of project director, Paul Freddolino, Ph.D., Professor of Social Work, in partnership with Melissa Fore, a founding faculty member of the MSU AgeAlive’s Generations Connect program and associate professor at James Madison College, the Digital Companions project will pair 50 college students and community members with 50 older adults for six weeks of digital literacy and telehealth training. Team members from both Virtual Connections and AgeAlive are launching the program this summer. Through the program, participants will meet weekly to learn smartphone skills, navigate telehealth tools, and develop connections that organizers hope will continue long after the formal sessions end.
“This is the start of a longer-term Generations Connect relationship,” said Freddolino, principal investigator on the grant. The program emerged through a collaboration between Virtual Connections and AgeAlive’s Generations Connect program. Freddolino said the idea came after recognizing how naturally the two programs aligned.
Virtual Connections program focuses on helping older adults use technology safely and confidently, while Generations Connect brings together college students and older adults to build relationships and reduce social isolation.
Out of more than 5,100 applications nationwide, approximately 750 proposals received funding, placing the Digital Companions initiative among the top proposals selected. “We were in the top 15% essentially,” Freddolino noted.
The grant funding will support materials and resources needed for the program, including printed smartphone and telehealth guides, recruitment efforts, communications materials and a special kickoff events.
But organizers say the project is about much more than technology itself. “In the 21st century, it is hard to get access to the things that help with healthy aging if you do not have digital skills,” Freddolino said.
Many older adults already own smartphones, but Freddolino said some use them only for basic tasks such as making calls and feel hesitant about exploring additional features because of privacy concerns or fear of scams.
Fore says the program may also help participants feel more comfortable using technology in everyday life. “Technology doesn’t have to be scary,” Fore said. “It can keep us connected; it can be really helpful, and once you have the confidence to do that, it opens up a lot of possibilities.”
For students, the program also creates an opportunity for relationships that extend beyond teaching digital skills.
Fore says shared activities often help break down barriers and make conversations feel more natural. “If you have something built in where they can do something together, I think it makes it easier to form a bond and form trust,” she said.
Organizers hope the relationships built through Digital Companions continue after the training ends, transitioning naturally into broader Generations Connect experiences. The program is designed to support people who may be harder to reach, including individuals who experience isolation or have limited access to resources.
The Digital Companions kickoff event is planned for Friday, Sept. 11, from noon to 2 p.m. at the East Lansing Public Library. Student coaches will have several opportunities to complete an orientation later in September. Digital training sessions with older adults are expected to begin in early October.
As the program begins, organizers say they hope participants leave with stronger digital skills, new relationships and a reminder that technology can bring people together rather than push them apart.
“Anything that fosters human connection,” Fore said, “is always a plus.”
AgeAlive and Virtual Connections are seeking both participants and volunteer digital literacy coaches to join the Digital Companions program. Through this six-week initiative, students and older adults will build meaningful connections while exploring smartphone skills, telehealth tools, and digital literacy together. To learn more about this program, visit: Digital Companions.
For more information on program partners, click: AARP Community Challenge / Generations Connect / Virtual Connections
Interested in learning more?
Those interested in becoming involved with Virtual Connections are welcome to attend an orientation session on July 24 at 10 a.m. at the MSU Federal Credit Union building on Mount Hope Road. To register, email virtualconnect@msu.edu.
This orientation is for individuals interested in participating in the Virtual Connections program. (Please note: this is separate from the Digital Companions coach orientation, which will be held on Sept. 18 for those interested in serving as Digital Companions coaches.)
To learn more about Virtual Connections, click here.