2021-22 Honoree - Dr. Tara Benson

Associate Director of the Plaster Student Union and Director of Student Engagement

Division of Student Affairs

Dr. Benson uses her community involvement to connect students to internships, networking and leadership positions.  She developed an implicit bias training and a 15 Day Racial Equity Challenge for the leadership of student organizations. She manages the Diversity Programming Fund and alongside the student body vice-president, created the podcast, Beyond the Barrier, which addresses issues on student leadership and engagement. Her co-creator of the podcast, Blake Haynes writes, “She strives for representation to be at the forefront of all student life, allowing student organizations to have a range of diversity and backgrounds.”