Meet Ben

After serving as an innovative leader in higher education for thirteen years, got his PhD in Higher Education at Azusa Pacific University (Azusa, CA). In this program, he focused his research on higher education in active conflict zones and in other contested areas. He also studies access and sustainability innovations in higher education. For his dissertation, he focussed on higher education in the occupied Palestinian town of Bethlehem, in the West Bank.

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Ben graduated with honors from Bryan College (TN) with a B.A. in History and minor in Political Science.  He went on to work for a political technology firm in Washington D.C. while completing his M.A. in Western Thought from St. John's College (MD).  On Saturday mornings, Ben volunteered in the Smithsonian Institute workshops where he received an education in finishing techniques and had the opportunity to work on a sculpture designed by Chinese artist Xu Bing that now hangs in the Sackler Gallery. 

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In 2007, Ben took a position at Bryan College (TN), where he worked with international educational partners in Europe, Africa, and Asia and developed a new course sequence in human rights with advisors from the U.S. Department of Justice and leading international NGOs. During his tenure at Bryan, Ben also taught in Politics and Government, led curriculum projects, and oversaw local community engagement programs.

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After seven years at Bryan, Ben joined Wheaton College (IL) to help launch a new academic center for the study of vocation and human flourishing. In 2019, the center was repositioned to serve a broader public and Ben accepted a position as Managing Director. Over the course of his career in higher education, Ben has consulted for several non-profits including International Justice Mission, The Justice Conference, and Reimagine Education World Innovation Competition. 

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Ben lives in Glen Ellyn, IL with his wife and three children.