CSU, Chico News

A senior psychology major at California State University, Chico has received the prestigious 2003 William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Benjamin Seigler is one of six students in the California State University system to receive the award this year. The Trustees’ Award provides financial support to students who show superior academic performance, community service and personal accomplishments in the face of personal hardship and challenges. Each student honored will receive $3,000.

Seigler is a psychology major with an emphasis in child psychology. He stands in the top 2 percent of his department. A re-entry student and a single father (his license plate reads CSUC DAD), Seigler is the first member in his immediate family to attend college. At 14, he dropped out of school, a response to family substance abuse problems, constant moving and poverty.

At 16, he returned to school, attending a continuation high school in Yuba City. He was on the honor roll and began helping second graders learn to read and counseling sixth graders at Woodleaf Outdoor School. “This was the first time that I actually enjoyed school,” said Seigler. Unfortunately, a recurrence of family and personal drug use pulled him off track.

After six years of homelessness, drug addiction and eating out of dumpsters, his life changed forever when he attended a church service in 1997. “It doesn’t happen that way for everyone,” said Seigler, “but that experience changed my life-it was the beginning of a life of more stability and actual achievement.”

Seigler plans to become a marriage and family therapist. His work with youth full time at Philbrick’s Place Rehabilitation Center for three years and the experience of tutoring other community college students in psychology and biology convinced him that his life’s work would be helping others. He is currently working with a summer program for youth in Nevada City.

In her letter of recommendation for Seigler, Sujan Burgeson, faculty member at Yuba College, wrote, “Ben Seigler has not only overcome extremely difficult economic, social and educational difficulties, but he is one of the most extraordinary individuals I know in his commitment to others.” Burgeson also noted his intelligence, perception, creativity and originality.

CSU, Chico psychology professor Eddie Vela, academic adviser and instructor to Seigler, said, “ In addition to well-developed academic skills, Ben is sensitive to diversity and understands struggle. He is devoted to his son and works hard to excel academically. In a nutshell, Ben is a gem.”

Seigler said: “This award is really encouraging for me-I’m not used to winning or being chosen. It means a lot. It is one of the awesome gifts that have been given to me in the last six years.”

Seigler is the seventh CSU, Chico student to receive the Trustees’ Award since 1993. The previous awardees are Dijana Fazlic (2002), Patty Cotter (2001), Aimee Webb (2000), Lynn Wirt (1996), Kelly Baylor (1995) and David Ware (1993).

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 17th, 2003 at 12:13 pm and is filed under 2003 Spring.