Dorothy Wayne Blackwell, a former student of the University of Mississippi School of Education, has left an estate gift of over $153,000 to fund scholarships and program enhancements for the school. Blackwell, who had a teaching career spanning over three decades, taught students with learning disabilities primarily in Mississippi and within the Miami Dade County Public School system in south Florida. Her nephew, R. Vance Blackwell, said the gift made perfect sense given her lifelong passion for teaching and learning. The School of Education’s dean, David Rock, expressed gratitude for the gift and said it would significantly assist students in their degree pursuits.
As covered by news.olemiss.edu, Dorothy Wayne Blackwell, a lifelong educator, left an estate gift of over $153,000 to the University of Mississippi School of Education. Blackwell, who pursued a teaching career and earned a master’s degree in special education from the university, came from a family of educators, making it no surprise that she chose to leave a gift to her alma mater.
The estate gift, largely directed to scholarship support, will help reduce the burden of education loans for students pursuing careers in education. Blackwell’s nephew, R. Vance Blackwell, said that it was his family’s hope that the gift could help others realize their potential and remove financial barriers to education.
Dorothy Blackwell’s teaching career spanned more than three decades, primarily in Mississippi and within the Miami Dade County Public School system in south Florida, where she taught students with learning disabilities. Even after retiring, she continued to take courses at Itawamba Community College, as she valued teaching and learning.
The School of Education expressed its gratitude for Blackwell’s generous gift, saying that it is deeply inspired by her career and life. The return on Blackwell’s investment in the School of Education will be significant, as students are assisted in their degree pursuits and then go out and transform their students’ lives.
The portion of Blackwell’s gift directed to the school’s greatest needs will enhance programs and provide res to better prepare future educators. The school hopes that Blackwell’s legacy will inspire others to follow in her footsteps and support the education of future generations.
To close, Dorothy Wayne Blackwell’s estate gift to the University of Mississippi School of Education is a testament to her lifelong passion for teaching and learning. Her gift will help reduce the burden of education loans for future educators and enhance programs to better prepare them for their careers. Blackwell’s legacy will inspire others to support the education of future generations.
