College of Natural Sciences Alumni Spotlight: Mindy Benson
Posted: January 31, 2024 | Author: College of Natural Sciences | Read Time: 2 minutes
Our inaugural alumni spotlight features none other than our very own university president, President Mindy Benson. Appointed interim president in July 2021 and assuming the role permanently in July 2022, Mindy is the 17th president of the institution and is the first woman and first SUU alumnus to serve in that capacity.
Much has been written about President Benson and her life spent here on our campus. A native of Cedar City whose father was a beloved leader in student affairs, Benson has been a lifelong feature here at SUU, literally growing up on campus. But how many of you know that she actually has an undergraduate degree in biology/zoology from the College of Natural Sciences?
Like so many of our students through the years, President Benson was drawn to the college because of its stellar reputation for preparing students for careers as healthcare professionals. Mindy chose the pre-med route as a zoology major and embarked on the typical journey which included all the medical school prerequisites including biology, chemistry, and physics courses. Not unlike so many of our students, the twists and turns of college life helped her discover other talents and opportunities that would forever change the trajectory of her professional life.
Benson’s involvement with student government and event planning led her down an unplanned path - one that eventually led her to the same work her father had done before her - in student affairs. This work championing and supporting students has been a lifelong focus for President Benson, culminating in her people-centric goals for the institution reflected in SUU's newly unveiled university strategic plan.
While Benson’s dream of medical school never materialized, she is grateful for the education she received in the College of Natural Sciences. That undergraduate degree in the sciences provided opportunities to practice critical thinking, examining evidence, and asking questions - all skills that continue to benefit her (and all of our graduates) throughout her career. Benson fondly remembers her caring and invested professors in the college supported and championed her, even when her career goals changed.
In addition to her work in higher education, President Benson has had a very successful secondary career as a professional event planner, orchestrating events both large and small throughout the state and nation. She even teaches a very popular event planning course on campus.
President Benson, thank you for all that you have done and continue to do for Southern Utah University. We are so proud to count you among our alumni here in the Walter Maxwell Gibson College of Natural Sciences! You are indeed a role model for many of our students, alumni, and colleagues alike.