Benson Family Chair

The Benson Family Chair in History supports programming and student-centered work across campus, including a regular lecture series, summer research fellowships, curriculum in History and Innovation Studies, and an endowed chair to coordinate activities, teach courses, and develop new initiatives.

The Benson Chair was created by Dale and Jolita Benson in 2004, and is sustained by ongoing support from the Benson Family Foundation of Portland, Oregon. Learn more about the Benson Family and the development of the Benson Chair here.

The current Benson Family Chair in History is Associate Professor Rebekah Mergenthal, who takes up the position on September 1, 2026. Dr. Mergenthal has broad interests in U.S. History, environmental history, and public history, and has supported several Benson student-faculty research projects related to the U.S. West. Her most recent leadership role is History Department Chair.

In her announcement of the new Chair appointment, Provost Joanna Gregson wrote that the appointment of Dr. Mergenthal strengthens PLU’s mission-driven academic distinctiveness. “Dr. Mergenthal’s vision supports the university’s goal of creating high-impact, ethically informed, and responsive educational programs. Endowed chairs provide dedicated resources for course development, student research fellowships, public-facing events, and scholarship.”

To contact Prof. Rebekah Mergenthal about any aspect of Benson Chair programming, email her at mergenrm@plu.edu.

Rebekah M. K. Mergenthal, Nov. 21, 2025. (PLU Photo / Sy Bean)