Baldwin county resident Beth Benson never imagined she would be working at the same university she attended as an undergraduate student or end up living in her college town. She is a native of Roswell but enjoys the sense of community Milledgeville offers.
“Back home I didn’t know my neighbors well at all,” Benson said. “Living in Milledgeville has been more of a community-based experience. I enjoy the idea of going out to restaurants or the grocery store knowing I will run into someone I know, it feels more close knit.”
Benson graduated from Georgia College & State University in 2019, and currently works in the Office of Admissions as the associate director of marketing and communications. Her role focuses on enrollment management. She works closely with students and watches them develop their own love for Georgia College.
“It was a huge shock to me that I ended up back in my college town,” Benson said. “I love Georgia College and the experiences it brought me. Getting to interact with students and having the opportunity to talk about the school that I love and had such a great experience at is rewarding.
“I enjoy going on evening walks and seeing how lively campus is with students enjoying time spent with one another and taking advantage of the hub that Georgia College has become.”
Outside of her role at Georgia College, Benson has enjoyed getting involved with local organizations over the past four years. She is actively involved at her church and serves on committee for Greater Milledgeville Young Life. In her spare time, she enjoys playing pickleball or walking at the Oconee River Greenway with her husband and their dog, Rush.
Benson has found that living in Baldwin County full-time has brought experiences she didn’t have as a student and furthered her love for the community.
“Living in Milledgeville now as an adult rather than a student is so different because I’m more involved with the community than I was before,” Benson said. “I was involved some in college with volunteering at my church but being active in the community here it has allowed me to appreciate new aspects that I didn’t know about. Being in a smaller town, the bonds you make in the community just go deeper.”
Benson is eager to grow her community and to continue to support local businesses around town.
Her go-to-spot is Blackbird Coffee. She hopes for many more years spent in Baldwin County so her love for the small town may continue to grow.