Retiree discovers passion along with a new degree

You’re never too old to learn, and that rings true for 70-yearold Mike Wilson, a retired business professor who this month received a new degree.

Wilson graduated for the first time in the ‘70s, and he recently participated in Northwest Missouri State University’s spring commencement with a theater performance degree.

Wilson is a professor emeritus from Northwest after teaching in the college of business. He said he found his passion for acting and theater at the Robidoux Resident Theatre, with one of his first performances being “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” He decided it was never too late to try something new.

“I vowed to myself right at the beginning I was going to be a student. I wasn’t going to try to get any breaks or any special favors,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he learned about playwriting, acting, directing and more, and the students accepted him as one of their own.

“They saw pretty quickly that I was genuine and I wasn’t trying to do something stupid. I was giddy like they were, and it was very invigorating because those young kids keep me young, I think,” Wilson said.

Wilson said that he has always enjoyed performing and this was an opportunity to broaden his horizons and sharpen his craft.

“I love the theater program at Northwest because it doesn’t just teach you acting, it also talks about the technical elements,” Wilson said.

One area in acting that he has improved in is using his arms and hands while acting and learning how to roll with mistakes and cover them up. He said he wants more older people to get involved in theater, as there are many roles for them.

“The older you get, a lot of people have dropped out and there’s not as much competition. It’s odd but true,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he thanks his wife, Theresa, for being by his side and supporting him throughout the journey. He said he would like to continue to act and work on writing and producing plays in the future.