BUCKHANNON, West Virginia –A West Virginia Wesleyan College art professor will receive the Elbert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator  Award from the Mountaineer Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Jon Benjamin, associate professor in the Art and Design Department, teaches graphic design, photography, film and more. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design from the Rochester Institute of Technology and Bachelor of Science from State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

Over the last three years, Benjamin has also served as a merit badge counselor during WVWC’s Merit Badge College, managing a wide array of ages and skill levels while helping the students achieve their merit badge.

Outside the College, Benjamin and his wife, Abigail, own ARGO Books on Main Street in Buckhannon that is more than a bookstore offering workshops and camps for youth. Benjamin sees the needs of our community, especially those that impact our youth, and provides outlets for students to be confident and explore the world through a small bookstore on Main Street.

The award will be formally presented in November during a ceremony. Started in 2016, the Elbert K. Fretwell Outstanding Educator Award recognizes the valuable contributions the education community makes in the lives of young people.

ABOUT WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE
West Virginia Wesleyan College (WVWC) is a private, four-year residential liberal arts and sciences college in Buckhannon, West Virginia. A tradition of excellence for more than 130 years, West Virginia Wesleyan is home to 14 Fulbright Scholars. The Princeton Review ranked Wesleyan as one of its 2023 Best Colleges in the Southeastern Region of the United States. U.S. News & World Report’s 2022-2023 Best College Rankings designated Wesleyan seventh in Best Value – Regional Universities (South). WVWC offers students nearly 60 majors and 40 minors; graduate programs in athletic training, business administration, creative writing, nursing and clinical mental health counseling; 20 NCAA Division II athletic programs; multiple performing arts groups; and more than 50 organizations. Founded in 1890, the College is closely affiliated with the United Methodist Church and abides by the Wesley doctrine that emphasizes service to others. For more information, visit wvwc.edu.