George C. S. Benson

Not to be confused with George S. Benson, who served as president of Harding College.

George C. S. Benson
1st President of Claremont McKenna College
In office September 1, 1946 – 1969
Preceded by	office established
Succeeded by	Howard Neville
Personal details
Born	George Charles Sumner Benson (1908-01-16)January 16, 1908 New York City, U.S.
Died	March 22, 1999(1999-03-22) (aged 91) Claremont, California, U.S.
Spouse(s)	Mabel Gibberd (died 1983) Katharine Corbett Lowe (died 1999)
Children	3
Relatives	Charles Burt Sumner (grandfather)
Education	Pomona College (BA) University of Illinois (MA) Harvard University (PhD)

George Charles Sumner Benson (January 16, 1908 – March 22, 1999) was an American academic and administrator. He was the founding president of Claremont McKenna College.

Education and career

Benson was born to an episcopal priest in New York in 1908. He graduated from Pomona College in 1928, received his M.A. from the University of Illinois the following year and his Ph.D. in government from Harvard University in 1931. He worked as an instructor in government at Harvard until 1934. He then served as research director at the Council of State Governments in Chicago, a lecturer at the University of Chicago, associate professor at the University of Michigan and finally, full professor at Northwestern University. He was a military government officer during World War II and spent some time in occupied Italy and Austria.

Benson became the founding president of Claremont Men's College (now Claremont McKenna College) in 1946. He resigned to take up the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs in 1969.

Personal life

Benson had three children, two sons and a stepson. His first wife, Mabel Benson, died in 1983. He later married Katharine Corbett Lowe Benson, who died on March 1, 1999. Charles Burt Sumner, the de facto first president of Pomona College, was his grandfather.