About Professor Hillyer

What subjects do you teach at CT State Manchester?: Algebra and Calculus

How long have you been teaching at CT State Manchester?: A long time, 37 years. I think at this point probably between 10,000 and 11,000 students have been enrolled in my classes.

What do you aim to provide in your classes?: My number one goal is to help students be successful, so whatever they want to do, whatever their personal goals are, their academic goals are, my goal is to help them be successful and get to where they want to be. Again, personally academically, educationally is to help them be successful. That’s really the number one goal.

Hillyer holds the title of Ms. Connecticut Senior America 2024~National Finalist

How did you end up participating in this pageant?: Well, I like to challenge myself. I think you learn a lot about yourself when you do hard things, so for me to get on stage and get up and sing in front of a couple of thousand people, was probably one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. And then I also decided that when I turned 60, I was going to make this the best decade of my life. That was really the premise, that I’m not done yet. I have so much to offer, so much to give, and particularly as a female, it was just my way of, you know, you’re alive, you have so much to contribute. I think the best way to age is to continue to learn new things, you know, push yourself intellectually, physically, just to keep growing and learning. I think that’s a really good way to age.

What does being a national finalist mean to you?: It means that I can really hold my own because many ladies who participated were professional musicians. So they were incredibly accomplished professional women. There were a couple of doctors, lawyers, authors, a lot of professional singers, piano players, just really outstanding musicians, people that have made music their life. So, I took singing lessons. I hired a vocal coach. I practiced and I just said I was just going to go for it. I was going to do my best. That was the most challenging thing, that the competition was really tough.

So it wasn’t about putting on a pretty dress and walking in heels across the stage, it was not that at all. I had to go through a rigorous interview with a panel of five judges. You had to have a talent. Of course, there was the evening gown. That was the fun part. And then you had to recite a speech, memorized, on your philosophy of life. And I started my philosophy with, “Have the courage to do what you want to do in your life.” Because I think a lot of people are afraid to do the things that they want to do, they’re afraid of what people think of them. So if you just put yourself out there and be unconcerned by what other people think of you, that’s just a good way to live.

Do you plan on taking part in future pageants?: I do not, one and done. My goal was to make the finals and I did and when they called my name it was really a beautiful moment. Because this is completely out of my wheelhouse, this is like nothing I’ve ever done in my life, ever. I read books. I’m all about my intellect, so to get up there and, walk across the stage and sing in front of all these people. it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced. So one and done, but now I can say I did it and I learned a lot about myself.

Anything else you’d like share?: Just for, you know, women in general, I really try to nurture the female students in my classes, particularly as we go up in math there are fewer and fewer females and more males. It’s just really important to always continue to learn and grow and not feel embarrassed. Women reach a certain age and they think like they’re done and I don’t feel that way at all. Society has a tendency for both men and women, when you reach a certain age to just kind of push you to the back burner, like you have no value. And I find it’s just the opposite. I will say if you’re intelligent, while your outsides change, your insides should continue to grow and get better.

I just personally really like seniors, I really like elderly people, and the work I do with dementia patients is really rewarding. And just for women in particular, you know, we’re not done yet. I keep saying, I’m not dead yet. I have so much to do and so much to offer. I viewed this as like a whole brand new chapter of my life. An exciting chapter.

         Professor Hillyer’s Next Challenge:       Hiking the Appalachian Trail