Excerpt from WDTN
The artistic director at Wright State described Hannah Beachler as smart, whether it was her work, her preparation, or her attitude. Beachler's win is a feather in the cap for Wright State, but it's also proof of what's possible.
"My first impression of her was a dynamic, positive, vivacious young lady." Dr. Stuart McDowell knew Hannah Beachler was a talented student at Wright State in the 2000s. He says Hannah knew even then what it would take to master her craft.
"She spent a year with costumes, a year in other areas, about three or four years into the business and she now was proficient in all the areas that a production manager would manage. Really smart."
McDowell says Beachler experienced modest success early in her career but made sure to capitalize on every opportunity to rise to the top.
"She had the chops to do this. You could see the seeds of what she's become in early work. But to say we knew she was going to win an Academy Award in 2019 would be a bit far-fetched. It was quite an amazing accomplishment that she took advantage of and prevailed."
Beachler has returned to the Miami Valley several times over the years, making sure to speak with students at the Neon or donate an award to Wright State.
McDowell says she's living proof that those students can make it. "It gets you up in the morning. And most importantly gives people the opportunity to have a vision of the future that is actually real. It's not fantasy anymore. Hannah Beachler is the real thing."
