Benjamin Bolger
Benjamin Bradley Bolger (born 1975) is an American perpetual student who has earned 17 degrees as of March 2022[update][1] and claims to be the second-most-credentialed person in modern history after Michael W. Nicholson (who has 30 degrees).[2] Like Nicholson, Bolger is from Michigan.
Biography[edit]
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]
Bolger entered Yale Law School when he was 19, 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. After accumulating several master's degrees, he received his first doctorate in 2008 at the age of 33, in Design from Harvard Graduate School of Design. He has also studied in graduate programs at the University of Pennsylvania,[7] Georgetown University, the College of William and Mary, and Dartmouth College.[8] His mother accompanied and supported him through much of his education to help with his work, from Ann Arbor to Oxford.[3]
As of March 2022[update], he is working remotely toward a 17th post-graduate degree, from Cambridge University.[1]
Degrees[edit]
- 1992 – Muskegon Community College (Associate of Arts)[5][6]
- 1994 – University of Michigan (Bachelor of Arts in sociology)[3]
- 1997 – University of Oxford (Master of Science in sociology)[5]
- 1998 – University of Cambridge (Master of Philosophy in sociology and politics of modern society)[5]
- 2000 – Stanford University (Master of Arts in education)[5]
- 2001 – Teachers College, Columbia University (Master of Arts in politics of education)[5]
- 2002 – Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University (Master of Science in real estate development)[5]
- 2002 – Harvard University (Master of Design in urban planning and real estate)[3]
- 2004 – Brown University, Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs (Master of Arts in developmental studies)[5]
- 2004 – Dartmouth College (Master of Arts in liberal arts)[1][5]
- 2007 – Brandeis University (Master of Arts in coexistence and conflict)[5]
- 2007 – Skidmore College (Master of Arts in Humanities)[5]
- 2008 – Harvard University (Doctor of Design in urban planning and real estate)[3]
- 2014 – Ashland University (Master of Fine Arts in creative writing)[9][10]
- 2016 - University of Tampa (Master of Fine Arts in creative writing)[11]
- 2016 - West Virginia Wesleyan College (Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction)[12]
- 2017 - University of Georgia (Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting)[13]
He has also completed some coursework at Yale Law School (in 1995, towards a JD) and at Boston College's Lynch School of Education (in 2004, towards an MA in higher education).
Personal life[edit]
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]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e f Fergus, June K.; Weber, Graham R. (March 31, 2022). "Benjamin Bolger Has No Post-Graduation Plans". The Harvard Crimson.
- ^ McEnroe, Tess (January 19, 2009). "Twenty-seven degrees and counting: Kalamazoo man enjoys the 'freedom' of intellectual pursuits". Kalamazoo Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e f Dry, Rachel E. (February 27, 2003). "Battle of the Bolger". The Harvard Crimson.
- ^ "'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.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lipka, Sara (June 6, 2008). "A Perpetual Student Pursues Education to the Nth Degree". The Chronicle of Higher Education.
- ^ a b c Zagursky, Erin (June 9, 2008). "Bolger overcomes dyslexia, earns 11 graduate degrees". News & Media. College of William & Mary. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ Snyder, Susan (June 7, 2008). "For Penn student, a matter of (11) degrees". Philadelphia Inquirer.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Ashland University MFA Graduate Sets Record with 12th Graduate Degree". Ashland University. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 2020-12-01.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Browsing by Author "Bolger%2C Benjamin B."".
- ^ "WVWC Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing".
- ^ "Inaugural class of MFA students graduate from Grady College". 8 August 2017.
External links[edit]
- Official web site
- Bolger, Benjamin. "A Dartmouth Pedagogy" (PDF). Alumni Profile. MALS Quarterly. Dartmouth College. pp. 23, 24, 28.
See also[edit]
- Luciano Baietti, Guinness Record as the most graduated living person in the world.
- 1975 births
- 20th-century American academics
- 21st-century American academics
- Alumni of the University of Cambridge
- Alumni of the University of Oxford
- Ashland University alumni
- Brown University alumni
- Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation alumni
- Dartmouth College alumni
- Harvard Graduate School of Design alumni
- Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences faculty
- Heller School for Social Policy and Management alumni
- Living people
- People from Flint, Michigan
- People with dyslexia
- Skidmore College alumni
- Stanford Graduate School of Education alumni
- Teachers College, Columbia University alumni
- University of Georgia alumni
- University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts alumni
- University of Tampa alumni
- West Virginia Wesleyan College alumni