The phrase “Bleed Duke Blue” is often cliché.
But not when you’re talking about Gary Bennett.
Consider: He earned a graduate degree in clinical health psychology at Duke on a fellowship from The Duke Endowment. Bennett met his wife, Leah Moore, at Duke. (She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from the university.) They were married in Duke Chapel, where their two daughters were christened.
And Bennet’s professional career – you guessed it – has largely been at Duke.
He returned to his alma mater in 2009 to work as an associate professor of psychology and neuroscience. Bennett also taught global health, served in faculty governance and was a vice provost.
In 2022, Duke appointed him as dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences.
Bennett is guided by a phrase he often shares: “We’re not trying to be anyone else. We want to be the best version of Duke we can be.”
And he’s played a key role in making that a reality.
The behavioral scientist helped lead the creation of QuadEx, Duke’s inclusive living and learning model. He’s also pushed for more funding for financial aid, including the Initiative for Students from the Carolinas, which benefits undergraduates from the Carolinas whose family incomes are $150,000 or less.
A number of advancements for the undergraduate experience are in place thanks largely to Bennett. Among them are the DukeLIFE program to support first-generation and low-income students, and the Academic Guides, professionals who provide holistic academic coaching and wellness support to undergraduates.
His scholarship includes authoring some 200 scientific papers, and his digital health research program has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health with more than $20 million in grant support.
“I have spent the better part of my career here at Duke,” Bennett said in 2022. “The Trinity College community has helped me grow as a scholar, as an instructor and as an academic leader. It is my home.”
