This is the first of four features as Virginia Wesleyan bids farewell to this year’s retirees.
By Megan Zirkle ’06
Since 1992, Dr. Benjamin Berry, professor of History and American Studies, has been serving the Virginia Wesleyan community. This semester will be his last year teaching at Wesleyan as he plans to move to Nashville, Tenn., to be closer with his grandchildren.
Arriving in the early 90s from Texas, Dr. Berry was the recipient of a Jessie Ball Dupont Visiting Scholar Grant, which aims to increase minority teachers in colleges and universities around the nation. Although the move was a big step, Berry found the Virginia Beach area to be pleasing in many ways.
“I liked the region. It was a nice change from Texas,” said Berry. “I also found the students to be very friendly, the faculty to be very collegial and the administration didn’t have a lot of baggage like the previous schools I had taught at.”
As a recipient of a grant, Berry was only supposed to teach at Wesleyan for one year, but after meeting the students and getting to know the faculty and administration, he decided to stay.
“The school and the students liked me and I liked them, so I began my permanent tenure here in 1993,” said Berry.
During his 13 years at Virginia Wesleyan, Berry was active and served on several committees for the college.
He was the President of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) chapter at VWC for one year, served on the General Studies Revision Committee for three years, and was the chair of the Community Arbitration Board for three years, serving as a faculty representative.
In addition to his committee roles, Berry is also the Director of American Studies, for students who choose to major in American Studies. And he was also the Coordinator of the History Department for one semester while Dr. Drees was out on sabbatical.
“I had just one semester of holding down the fort,” said Berry.
For Berry, teaching at a small college like Wesleyan has been a way to connect with students and faculty.
“At VWC I have the opportunity to know people, congratulate people, yell at people, and have people over to my house for dinner,” said Berry. “The classrooms are small so you can’t fit many students in it—that’s the kind of teaching I like, connection with the students.”
For the future of Wesleyan, Berry hopes the administration hires more minority teachers and that the college gets a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.
Headed for retirement with no regrets, Berry said, “I’m 65 years old and I’m tired. “The students have had me for 35 years, now it’s time for my grandchildren.”
The Virginia Wesleyan Community wishes Dr. Ben Berry a very happy retirement.