The Fulbright Connection

Melinda Heinz is an Assistant Professor of Family Services at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa. She received a Fulbright Scholar award to Ireland in 2022 to extend her research into older adults. The purpose of Melinda’s research on Men’s Sheds was to conduct interviews with older, retired men to learn more about how Men’s Sheds gave them a sense of purpose and meaning. She wanted to learn more about how they joined the shed, what they did there and why they kept coming back.

“What the men shared was so genuine and I wanted others to learn more about Men’s Sheds and understand how sheds can be a resource for older men. Men’s Sheds are more than just a building or a group of men, they provide a protective circle around men, insulating them from the pain of isolation, loneliness, and depression.”

“As a Fulbright Scholar in Ireland, I learned about Irish Men’s Sheds and how they impacted the well-being of older men. Hearing the stories from Men’s Shed members inspired me to share their stories on a wider scale. After returning to the US, I collaborated with a colleague to make a documentary on the Irish Men’s Sheds. The Fulbright experience challenged me to consider new mediums to tell the stories of older adults.”