A Day in the Life of Britt Blackwelder, GB'16

In August, The Richmond MBA welcomed a brand new cohort of students. Among them was Britt Blackwelder, GB’16, assistant executive director of Gayton Terrace, Brookdale Senior Living Solutions’ largest assisted living community in the country, and she agreed to give a glimpse into her typical day balancing her work and studies.

When asked why she got into the senior living field, she said, “After I graduated from George Mason University with a B.S. in accounting, my first job was in the internal audit department at Brookdale. Growing up, I was close with all four of my grandparents and a great-grandparent, so it made sense to work for a company that focuses on enriching seniors’ lives. I’ve been with Brookdale ever since.” 

Blackwelder shared, “I help manage the day-to-day operations of the community. I handle resident, family, and associate concerns, and I am devoted to making Gayton Terrace the best place to live and work possible.” 

She delved into her full schedule. “I typically spend the first part of my morning checking emails and talking with our residents in the lobby. Some mornings can be quiet while others are completely chaotic; however, I can always count on an email from one of my favorite residents who sends me jokes that we chat about throughout the day.”

During meal times, she chooses to strengthen her bond with the residents. “Since this is when most of them are in the dining room I try to spend as much time as I can with everyone by making the rounds among tables. Sometimes I’ll join a table for lunch, which is always a nice experience.”

In the afternoons, Blackwelder meets with families and residents and works on ongoing projects. “Whether I’m working with the sales and marketing team to develop a tracking system for our rooms, helping the maintenance team track and manage requests, creating and monitoring the project plans for updating our memory care wing, or devising an orientation program for new employees, there’s always a new project to work on. With so many departments, my goal is to improve processes wherever we can to make things easier for our teams.” 

“The most fulfilling part of my job is the relationships I've built with the residents and their families,” she said. “They were tough to win over because there had been some turnover at my community. They were skeptical I’d be able to live up to their expectations; however, by following through on my commitments and spending quality time with them, I’ve been able to gain their trust.”

Blackwelder acknowledged the nature of her work in senior living can be difficult, but “The Richmond MBA has helped me tremendously in conducting tough meetings, motivating associates and completing projects. I’m surprised at how quickly I've been able to apply what I've learned to my job. It has broadened my perspective on my role in the community.”

In the evening, she dives into her schoolwork. “On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, I head to campus for class. Last semester was very busy for me as I was taking statistics, accounting, organizational behavior and business communications. I’d do a couple hours of homework a night when I didn't have class, and then I’d spend a good portion of the weekend studying. This semester I'm taking marketing and economics, and even though it will likely be intensive, I’m looking forward to focusing on these two subjects throughout the semester.”

She reflected on her time in The Richmond MBA. “I remember the moment my team finished presenting our case at the end of Opening Residency. It was such a challenging and rewarding experience, and that’s when I truly felt part of the family here. One of my favorite things about the program is the strong bond I've already built with my classmates. Many of us were instantly close, and I'm so thankful for such wonderful peers that encourage, support and inspire me. From the coursework to the people and experiences, The Richmond MBA has exceeded my expectations. I'm so thankful for my acceptance into the program, and I can't wait to see what the rest of my time at Richmond holds.”