Helen Benjamin

"Of all the memories I have of this District, the one that stands out most for me is the night I received the call from the Governing Board offering me the position of chancellor of this District.  I say Governing Board because they were all on the call.  I was on vacation on a road trip through the South with my friend, Baji.  We had stopped for the night in Charlotte, North Carolina.  Anticipating the call all day, we responded in stunned silence when the telephone rang a little after midnight central time.  I answered as calmly as I could to the voice of Dave MacDiarmid telling me I was their choice.  Simultaneously, Baji was jumping up and down mouthing, “Is that it?”  — to which I was nodding in the affirmative.  Baji then added squeaking noises to her up and down movements.  I said “yes” to Dave, at which point I realized he was on a speaker phone because I could hear all the Board members responding with pleasure.  I shall never forget that night.  It was the beginning of the most exciting journey in my work life. "

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