Benjamin Bolger

Last updated
Benjamin Bolger
Born
Benjamin Bradley Bolger

1975 (age 4849)
Education Muskegon Community College (AA)
University of Michigan (BA)
Yale University
University of Oxford (MSc)
University of Cambridge (MPhil)
Stanford University (MA)
Columbia University (MA, MSc)
Harvard University (MDes, DDes)
Brown University (MA)
Boston College (MA)
Dartmouth College (MA)
Brandeis University (MA)
Skidmore College (MA)
Ashland University (MFA)
University of Tampa (MFA)
West Virginia Wesleyan College (MFA)
University of Georgia (MFA)
University of Pennsylvania
Georgetown University
College of William and Mary
George Washington University
Ithaca College
Cornell University

Benjamin Bradley Bolger (born 1975) is an American perpetual student who had earned 16 academic degrees as of March 2022. [1] [2]

Contents

Biography

Benjamin Bolger was born to Donald, an engineer with General Motors, and Loretta, a schoolteacher, and was raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. At the age of two, his parents were both seriously injured when the family was involved in a near-fatal car accident caused by a drunk driver; Bolger says that this encouraged him to make the most out of his life. [1] [3]

In first grade, he was diagnosed with dyslexia. Special education programs did not help him, and, in fourth grade, his mother began home-schooling Bolger, while undergoing a divorce. [4] At the age of 12, Bolger began taking classes at Muskegon Community College, graduating with an A.A. by the age of 17. He then transferred with those credits to the University of Michigan, majored in sociology, and graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 grade point average. [5] From there, he took an internship with the Clinton Administration with Press Secretary Mike McCurry. [6] Bolger's mother moved with him to each college and university that he attended and helps him by reading his assignments to him aloud. [3]

In 1995, when Bolger was 19, he entered Yale Law School to study for a JD, but dropped out when he was unable to compensate for his dyslexia. [6] After receiving additional training for his dyslexia, he enrolled at Oxford University, thus beginning his quest for degrees. His mother accompanied and supported him through much of his education to help with his work, from Ann Arbor to Oxford. [3]

After accumulating several master's degrees, he received his first doctorate in 2008 at the age of 33, from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

He has also studied, but did not ultimately complete graduate degrees at the University of Pennsylvania, [7] Georgetown University, [8] and in 2004 at Boston College's Lynch School of Education towards an MA in higher education.

Bolger worked as a visiting professor at the College of William and Mary. [8]

As of 2022, he was working remotely toward a 17th degree, in writing performance, from the University of Cambridge in England. [1]

Degrees

Personal life

Bolger endeavors to sleep only 4–5 hours a night. [1] He has two children, a daughter named Benjamina Brook and a son named Benjamin Blitz, both of whom are home-schooled. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Fergus, June K.; Weber, Graham R. (March 31, 2022). "Benjamin Bolger Has No Post-Graduation Plans". The Harvard Crimson .
  2. Bernstein, Joseph (2024-06-03). "The Man Who Couldn't Stop Going to College". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-06-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dry, Rachel E. (February 27, 2003). "Battle of the Bolger". The Harvard Crimson.
  4. "'U' alum, 19, overcomes challenges, heads to Yale Law". Yale Daily News . September 27, 1995. Archived from the original on 2007-02-06 via University of Michigan.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Lipka, Sara (June 6, 2008). "A Perpetual Student Pursues Education to the Nth Degree". The Chronicle of Higher Education .
  6. 1 2 3 Zagursky, Erin (June 9, 2008). "Bolger overcomes dyslexia, earns 11 graduate degrees". News & Media. College of William & Mary. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  7. Snyder, Susan (June 7, 2008). "For Penn student, a matter of (11) degrees". Philadelphia Inquirer .
  8. 1 2 Clark, Kim (April 15, 2010). "You Can Work Your Way Through 11 Grad Degrees: Benjamin Bolger slept little, ate cheap, cold-called for TA jobs". U.S. News & World Report .
  9. "Ashland University MFA Graduate Sets Record with 12th Graduate Degree". Ashland University. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
  10. Strong, Rebecca (August 19, 2014). "12 Graduate Degrees and Counting: One Student's Yearning for Learning". U.S. News & World Report . Archived from the original on 2014-09-12.
  11. "Browsing by Author "Bolger%2C Benjamin B."".
  12. "WVWC Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing".
  13. "Inaugural class of MFA students graduate from Grady College". 8 August 2017.


See also