简介

Ben worked with junior and senior high youth while in college at Colorado State University (B.A., English, 1975) and Princeton Seminary (M.Div., 1978), and after graduation. Growing interest in human development led to work in student services at Kansas State University, where he earned an M.S. in Curriculum and Instruction (1981) and a Ph.D. in Human Ecology (1987), and met his wife, Betty. After six years teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in Human Development and Family Life at Louisiana Tech University and collaborating with local Extension professionals on youth programs, he became Extension Family Life Specialist at the University of Wyoming, contributing to the Extension Children, Youth, and Families at Risk initiative and leading the WY CYFAR initiative. In 2001 he became NC Extension Youth Development Specialist where he has contributed to afterschool, informal science, youth-at-risk, and program evaluation efforts. Ben has two children and five grandchildren. He enjoys gardening, outdoor activities, and reading across diverse disciplines.