Mastering the Art of Learning

The word “retire” is simply not in Anna Gee Blackwell’s vocabulary.

Blackwell graduated from Wright State in 2005 at age 76 with a master’s degree in piano performance. While at Wright State, she served as an accompanist for the Paul Laurence Dunbar Chorale. At 82, she obtained her second master’s degree, in special education, online from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix. She currently works as a substitute schoolteacher in Springfield, Ohio.

Blackwell worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base for 34 years before retiring as a budget analyst in 1984. She helped raise five children, became certified as a licensed practical nurse, and also taught piano lessons to help put her children through school. Two of her children earned degrees from Wright State: Barrett, a master’s in guidance and counseling; and Cynthia, a bachelor’s in biomedical engineering.

“Wright State has impacted my life through the years by challenging me to go beyond even my own expectations, to continually encourage young people to strive for an education that will prepare them for tomorrow and to believe that all things are possible through hard work, dedication and a belief in oneself,” Blackwell said.