In His Words

Throughout his presidency, President P. George Benson has spoken out on a variety of topics. In addition to his strong advocacy for the College of Charleston, Benson has consistently drawn attention to the opportunities and challenges facing all of public higher education in South Carolina. Here are a few highlights from his speeches and writings over the years.

“Our challenge – yours and mine – is to discover or create the series of gateways that will both draw the world to Charleston and take the College of Charleston to the world.”

Inaugural Address
October 5, 2007

“As people and businesses flow toward Charleston, Charleston is becoming much more than a port and a beach and a carriage ride. The economy is beginning to diversify and develop a cluster of talented professionals. We are attracting and building knowledge-based organizations that engage in higher-level business activities – software development, systems design, financial engineering, biosciences research …”

Commencement Address,
Graduate College of The Citadel
May 4, 2008

“Making higher education a top priority will only happen when our political leaders recognize two truths: First, higher education is the one lever they control that is capable of boosting economic and social indicators virtually across the board. And, second, if we don’t make this commitment soon, we risk falling so far behind that we’ll never catch up to our neighboring states.”

Keynote Speech,
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Economic Outlook Conference
March 26, 2009

“Before moving to Charleston, I did my due diligence. I looked at Charleston quite closely from afar, and I sensed the virtually limitless economic, cultural and educational potential of the Lowcountry, particularly in the context of the Southern Cross. Then I moved here, and I began to look past the veneer. I began to see, as many newcomers do, that the state’s valuable assets, such as the port and the state’s public higher education system, are seriously underappreciated.”

Keynote Speech,
Propeller Club of Charleston
January 14, 2010

“Most South Carolinians don’t realize that the College of Charleston is the largest historic preservationist in Charleston, and we bear this burden for the good of the entire state. Our presence in the Historic District complicates everything we do, by adding to our costs and constraining our ability to grow.”

Op-Ed, The Post and Courier
August 13, 2010

“We are in an industry with serious revenue shortages that is also facing an ever-rising mountain of state and federal regulations and increasing pressure to meet state-mandated performance and accountability measures. Yet, our institutions are part of a highly competitive higher education marketplace in which we must maintain the quality of our academic programs, vie for top faculty and staff, modernize our learning and student life facilities and keep pace with technology.”

Address to the Treasury Institute
for Higher Education, Treasury Symposium
January 30, 2012

“South Carolina must be a state where any prospective employer can find an educated workforce, highly skilled faculty experts, a system that can quickly train and retrain workers to meet the needs of the marketplace and an intellectual climate that generates and embraces new ideas and new technology. All of this is fostered or delivered by our universities. All of this supports economic growth.”

Presentation to S.C. Commission
on Higher Education
August 9, 2012