
Regina Benedict Obituary, Regina Benedict has passed away uexpectedly
- by Alex Danvers
Regina Benedict Obituary, Death – Dr. Regina “Gina” Benedict passed away unexpectedly over two years ago, shocking both her close family and the people at Maryville College whose lives she had touched through her dedication to teaching. The family of Dr. Benedict, who was a criminal justice assistant professor and the program coordinator at MC, has now made sure that her memory will always be associated with the organization to which she devoted her life. Students who want to major or minor in criminal justice are eligible for the Dr. Regina White Benedict Scholarship, and non-traditional women who are pursuing degrees are given precedence. On Friday, October 21, during the College’s traditional Homecoming weekend, MC President Dr. Bryan F. Coker made the announcement about the new endowment.
In a statement regarding the new scholarship, the family said, “We are still attempting to cope with the death of our Gina.” “We considered ways to honor her, and one of them was to create a scholarship at Maryville College in her honor. Gina was a committed educator who was committed to her pupils. She placed a high value on education and did her best to help each of her pupils get ready for a successful life after college. The Dr. Regina White Benedict Scholarship in the Criminal Justice Program was established by her family in an effort to preserve her memory and her legacy. In addition to receiving a bachelor’s in arts from Mississippi State University, a master’s degree from East Tennessee State University, and a doctorate from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville while working for the Department of Children’s Services in Knox County, Benedict also earned her own degrees from those institutions.
She became the coordinator of the Criminal Justice Program at Maryville College, where she also held the position of assistant professor of Criminal Justice. She had a long-standing interest in the roles that the criminal justice system and incarceration played in society. She also participated in the Conduct Appeals Board, assisted the College in forging strong partnerships with law enforcement organizations and graduate programs, all of which paved the way for chances for her students. According to her mother, Cookie White, “Gina felt a sense of belonging from the minute she started teaching classes at MC and she commented often about how great it was.
” She aimed to make the criminal justice major the most effective and successful program she could. When serving in their chosen professions, she wanted her students to be the best they could be. She attempted to show her students the variety of roles they may play in helping others by inviting guest speakers from law enforcement, the judicial system, and the jail, among other places. In 2011, Benedict started working part-time as a teacher at MC, a position her family referred to as her “dream job.” She started working as a lecturer full-time in 2016 and was given the title of assistant professor in 2018. During her time there, she developed relationships with both students and other faculty members that are renowned for their warmth and respect.
At the annual Founder’s Day celebration, which is an annual part of every MC Homecoming, Coker announced the scholarship. “Regina, known by her students as “Dr. B,” was a beloved faculty member of Maryville College who passed away unexpectedly last year at the age of 44. She laid a really solid basis for the curriculum as our first professor for the criminal justice major. Regina spent five years at the College in what she called “her dream job,” and her husband Travis, daughters Zoe and Mia, and parents Mickey and Cookie White wanted to honor that time with a scholarship that will be given to criminal justice majors or non-traditionally aged women who are completing their degrees. Next fall, it will be given out for the first time. Regina will always be missed, but we are happy that Thaw Hall will carry on in her honor.
Her husband Travis, children Zoe and Mia, parents Mickey and Cookie White of Huntsville, Alabama, brother and sister-in-law Michael and Emily White of London, Kentucky, nieces Ellie and Maddie, as well as in-laws Ron and Betty Jo Benedict of Johnson City, Tennessee, remain. Benedict also leaves behind her husband Travis. Travis Benedict and Mickey and Cookie White were recently named members of the Isaac Anderson Society during the Founder’s Day event, an award that recognized their dedication to and generosity in establishing the Dr. Regina White Benedict Scholarship.
Gina wanted to share her enthusiasm for the study of criminal justice with her students, according to Mickey White. She wished for them to reflect thoroughly on what justice is and whether it is genuinely possible to accomplish it.
Regina Benedict Obituary, Death – Dr. Regina “Gina” Benedict passed away unexpectedly over two years ago, shocking both her close family and the people at Maryville College whose lives she had touched through her dedication to teaching. The family of Dr. Benedict, who was a criminal justice assistant professor and the program coordinator at MC,…