Dr. George Bennett
Associate Professor of Chemistry
 Academic Biography
George Bennett completed his undergraduate education at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio. He majored in chemistry and double-minored in history and political science. He graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. degree in 1992. He went to graduate school at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, where he was awarded a Ph.D. in organic chemistry under the direction of Professor Leo Paquette in 1997. In August 1997, he began as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at Millikin University. He was awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor in 2003. Dr. Bennett is a member of the honor societies Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Zeta, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Sigma Xi, Pi Sigma Alpha, and Phi Alpha Theta.
Philosophy of Teaching
My philosophy of teaching is proficiency-centered. I focus on helping students develop the skills they need to solve problems and to communicate their results. In my approach, I hold several principles to be axiomatic. First, an education is taken rather than received. As the student sows, so shall the student reap. Second, teaching is not confined to the classroom. Many settings, ranging from high-enrollment courses to individual advising, require the application of the best practices of teaching. Third, learning is not confined to the classroom. Students make their greatest advancements during office hours, review sessions, and their own personal practice. Fourth, students should have the freedom to fail when they practice and the opportunity to redeem themselves after a poor performance (within reason).
My method for executing my approach involves integrating theory and practice. For lower level students, this integration manifests itself as lecture courses coordinated with laboratory courses. For upper level students, the integration is more likely to involve coordinating research or internship positions with course content and professional goals. I use a variety of techniques to put my methodological plan into action. These techniques do not revolve around different student “learning styles” or “intelligences.” The techniques are aimed at reducing or eliminating anxiety that interferes with learning. Regardless of the setting, my goal is to prepare my students to take the next step, whether it is the next course, an advanced degree program, or a vocation.
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