Helping students find their passion is her passion. “Our school attracts students who are very capable and bright,” Hannett-Price explains. “We have a great cross-section of students because we have a marvelous financial aid program that brings great musicians, athletes, and would-be scientists to the school and gives them an opportunity to really find their passion.”

Her talent for helping students achieve their potential is evident from the list of prominent alumni of the school who once sat as students in her classroom. The list includes Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and former NBA player Shane Battier, among many other notable alumni.   

Hannett-Price’s teaching style and philosophy involves encouraging her students to learn about themselves and life through literature and writing exercises. “When I read a student’s paper, I want their voice coming through,” she says. “If I can help them find their voice, and find their perspective, they can better understand who they are. To share what she calls “living literature” with her students, twice a year, she takes her class on a trip to the Stratford Shakespeare Festival.    

Originally from Williamsville, NY, Hannett-Price earned her undergraduate degree from Albion College and her Master’s degree in Humanities from UB in 1966. As a young mother, Hannett-Price overcame many obstacles to pursue her degrees – including taking graduate coursework only during summer semesters. She’s quick to credit Henry Woodburn, who served as Graduate School Dean at the time, for his encouragement and assistance in making certain she was able to enroll for key courses and earn her degree. “He was so interested in my story, in my life, and in my ambition to earn a Master’s degree to further my expertise in teaching,” she explains.

Hannett-Price says that her UB experience helped her become so much more than just another teacher: to her students she is a mentor fully invested in their future. “It was the personal touch, always, as I remember the University at Buffalo. It was the caring people, whether they were in the library, or whether they were my professors, who were always willing to stay after class and answer questions. They took the time. Their students were important to them, and that was part of what I took away from UB.”

Today, Hannett-Price finds herself teaching a second generation, “I’m teaching the children of the students I taught,” she says happily. With no immediate plans for retirement, she looks forward to celebrating Detroit Country Day School’s 100^th anniversary in 2014. “I love what I do,” she says. “Teaching to me is such joy.”

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