MC community mourns passing of Dr. Regina Benedict

April 1, 2021

Photo of Dr. Regina Benedict

Maryville College is mourning the passing of a much-loved and much-respected faculty member.

Dr. Regina Benedict, assistant professor of criminal justice and coordinator of the criminal justice program, died unexpectedly Wednesday of natural causes. The MC campus community was notified through an email sent by President Dr. Bryan F. Coker today.

“We grieve for this loss, while holding Regina’s husband and her two daughters close, in our hearts, thoughts, and prayers,” Coker wrote. “May we each be comforted and uplifted in the days ahead, as we remember Dr. Benedict’s passion for this College and the love she held for her students, and may we each be inspired by her commitment to making this world a better place.”

Benedict held degrees from Mississippi State, East Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. At UTK, she completed a doctorate in sociology with a specialization in criminology. Much of her research focused on the experience of incarceration, especially for women. She focused on coping mechanisms and adaptations among the inmate population.

Benedict began teaching at Maryville College part-time in 2011. In 2016, she became a full-time member of the faculty as a lecturer in criminal justice. In 2018, she was promoted to assistant professor and coordinator of the criminal justice program.

During her time at the College, Benedict started and founded the Criminal Minds student organization, served as a member of the Conduct Appeals Board and helped the College establish important relationships with law enforcement agencies and graduate schools, “all of which led to opportunities for her students,” Coker wrote. “Also known as ‘Dr. B’ by her students and advisees, she was committed to undergraduates and their success.”

The College opened the Samuel Tyndale Wilson Center for Campus Ministry (CCM) and invited people to stop by for reflection and prayer. Counseling services are being made available to faculty, staff and students.

In its weekly virtual chapel service, scheduled for 1:15 p.m., Tues., April 6, Maryville College will remember Benedict and her impact on the campus community. Sympathy cards for her family are being collected at the CCM and Willard House.

‘A terrible loss’

Dr. Daniel Klingensmith, dean of the College, described his colleague as “an energetic, creative and much-respected colleague and teacher.”

“She was our first faculty member in criminal justice and built that initiative into a respected and innovative program,” he said. “She remarked to me once that in approaching criminal justice, she emphasized asking students to think deeply about what we mean by ‘justice’ and how those meanings get actualized in our society, rather than just teaching techniques or policies.

“… she was simply passionate about student success and about preparing students to lead lives of service and citizenship. Gina’s death is a terrible loss,” he added. “Our hearts go out to her husband and their children.”

Maryville College is a nationally-ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges. For more than 200 years we’ve educated students to be giving citizens and gifted leaders, to study everything, so that they are prepared for anything — to address any problem, engage with any audience and launch successful careers right away. Located in Maryville, Tennessee, between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the city of Knoxville, Maryville College offers nearly 1,200  students from around the world both the beauty of a rural setting and the advantages of an urban center, as well as more than 60 majors, seven pre-professional programs and career preparation from their first day on campus to their last. Today, our 10,000 alumni are living life strong of mind and brave of heart and are prepared, in the words of our Presbyterian founder, to “do good on the largest possible scale.”