“Since I was around 10 years old, I wanted to get a Ph.D. in Mathematics. For most of my life, math was simply the subject at which I was most proficient. However, as I was exposed to more math, I realized that it is not only quite beautiful, but also a powerful tool for problem solving,” Benge explains about his passion for the subject area.

Public residential high schools hold a special place in his heart, and after first hearing about MSMS through SLAMT, he decided to join the faculty at MSMS to attempt to give back to this community of schools.

Benge explains the differences in his new work environment compared to his previous experiences.

“Until this year I had only ever taught courses in a college setting, and teaching in a lecture hall with 100 students is quite a bit different than teaching in a classroom with 15 students. I love that I am now able to meet with each of my students in office hours to talk about mathematics,” Benge states.

Outside of reading and learning about Math, Benge is an avid news junkie, particularly political news. He also enjoys playing computer games and spending time with his beloved cat. Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert of southern California holds a special place in his heart. “Nothing quite compares to its quiet peacefulness,” Benge exclaims.

The Math professor shared pieces of wisdom for the juniors and seniors, who are preparing to take the leap into the unknown terrains of college and adult life.

“My advice for juniors and seniors is to ask as many questions as possible in every aspect of life. If you don’t understand something in the classroom, if you don’t know the requirements to apply to a certain college, if you don’t know what opportunities exist for summer research or internships, remember that you are surrounded by a community of students, teachers and administrators who want nothing more than to help you succeed. Ask us questions! There is no shame in needing help. More generally, if you see something that bothers you in your school, community, state or country, don’t simply accept it as ‘the way things are.’ Seek out the reasons behind the root causes and effect the changes that you wish to see. I would tell my 17 year old self to not focus on grades as much and to use my time in high school and college to explore other subjects. In hindsight, I realize it was a mistake to not branch out a bit from fear of making a B.”

With his new life setting camp in cozy corner of Columbus, Benge discusses how he is adapting to the city known for its friendliness.

“Columbus has been great so far. However, I am quite an introvert, so I have not explored as much as I should,” Benge says.

Senior Sarrah Der-Ballout attends Dr. Benge’s AP Calculus I class.

“He’s a super smart teacher and very quick in his math skills. I would say my favorite thing about his teaching style is he likes to make sure you know how the problem works. If he gives a formula that is a constant, then he wants to make sure we know why it’s a constant and what makes it that constant. Plus, he’s available at any time, which is really great for tests or any quick homework questions,” Der- Ballout conveys.