EdD 1977 From his first days on campus, Mike Benson fell in love with the college experience. After completing his master's degree, he knew he wanted to make a career in higher education. Upon earning his doctorate from IHE in 1977, he was offered a dean of students position in Ohio and director of housing in Alabama. After nine years as director of housing and teaching Introductory Psychology in Alabama, Benson joined the Peace Corps. His first assignment was in Uzbekistan, a former republic of the Soviet Union. After training in a city in the countryside of Uzbekistan he was specifically assigned to the University of World Languages, in Tashkent, the capital city. His first year was spent in classes set up to teach students (some of whom were not there willingly) the English language. Within the first month he determined to help develop a program that would actually teach some teachers to more effectively teach and help students actually learn the language. With support within the Peace Corps and from Dr. Ruth Petzold, the English Language Officer at the US Embassy in Tashkent, he was able to create the Institute for English Language Teacher Education, a program open to teachers and students who had strong ambitions toward learning English. He remained involved with this program, as director, for six years. Within that time he also spent nine months as country director for a State Department program in Afghanistan and worked as an advisor for a University in Azerbaijan. During his career, Benson has spent almost 15 years working at colleges and universities overseas and more than that at American colleges and universities. Education Education: Bachelor’s degree in Elementary education, University of West Georgia Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, University of West Georgia Ed.D., University of Georgia
