BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The campus bustles with morning energy. Students walk across campus, music in ears, backpacks on backs, but one figure stands out.
Professor Ben Erickson walks with purpose, his smile bright enough to be noticed by individuals who don’t even know him.
For many, Erickson is more than a professor; he is a reminder that enthusiasm and bravery are not just internal. For him, these qualities radiate outward, shaping the environment around him.
As the Director of Community Engagement at Bridgewater College, Erickson forms partnerships between local organizations and the college. This connects students with service opportunities in the Bridgewater-Harrisonburg area, promoting community engagement.
Erickson’s work in community engagement is driven by the same philosophy by which he teaches in the classroom: learning by doing.
“I did a whole bunch of Zoom interviews to see what companies were looking for in people they’re going to hire,” he explained. “One of the things they said, and it really stuck with me, is that they want students to have a passion project, something they really care about, that they want to work on, and that they go out and do.”
Erickson leads community engagement by giving students real opportunities to discover interests, build experience, and connect their academic work to the world beyond campus.
Finding a home at BC
Erickson’s journey to Bridgewater College was rooted in his early involvement with politics.
“I volunteered, and then actually ended up getting paid to work on political campaigns,” he said.
Erickson earned both his bachelor’s and M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Maine.
Jennifer Babcock, Senior Instructor of Communication Studies at Bridgewater College, remembers Erickson in college as friendly and deeply into politics, which gave them plenty to talk about. She also remembers Erickson as a natural connector.
“He was really helpful that way,” she says, noting that he could spot a need and figure out how to make it work.
“When I finished grad school, I sent out applications to about fifty colleges and universities looking for a teaching job,” Erickson said. “Bridgewater was one of the first schools to reach out. They were specifically looking for someone with real campaign experience to teach Political Communication, and that background is likely what helped me stand out among other candidates.”
Erickson’s life didn’t follow a straight and narrow path, but. From sports broadcasting dreams to musical theatre and political campaigns, every step taught him how to connect with people, which now defines his role as the Director of Community Engagement at Bridgewater College.
The Erickson enthusiasm
“Whenever I see him on campus, he’s always got a smile on his face,” said Oliver Newell-Shortt, a student of Erickson.
Erickson says his excitement and positivity started early. According to a story his mother loves to tell, when he was four years old, his daycare teachers wrote that he would “burst into song at spontaneous moments” whenever he was particularly happy.
“She loved that,” Erickson said. “Because I was excited, I’d just start singing.”
That spontaneous behavior hinted at his natural leadership. According to the Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement, effective campus-community engagement relies not only on formal leadership but also on the ability to respond in the moment and cultivate emergent leadership among students and partners.
Babcock says that what stood out most about Erickson was his iconic hand gestures. Even in a small group of people, he would animate every point with expressive movements.
“It was a fun and defining characteristic,” Babcock says. “We all made fun of him for it, but it’s completely endearing.”
According to the American Management Association, people see speakers who use hand gestures as more impactful and memorable.
Having the courage to jump into the fire
Erickson said that he never took a class in public speaking in college. He got over his fear of public speaking by teaching it to undergraduate students.
“I was kind of thrown to the fire,” he said
That experience, he said, shaped how he approaches both teaching and life.
“Most people are afraid of public speaking, right?” Erickson says. “I really like watching that growth that students have throughout the course… gaining that confidence, gaining those skills to help you in those particular situations is important.”
Newell-Shortt said that while he thought he understood public speaking, Erickson helped him dig deeper, uncover the key elements, and learn how to structure his presentations effectively. He adds that he’s extremely grateful for Erickson’s guidance.
This real-world experience fits seamlessly with Erickson’s teaching philosophy which is based on the idea that students learn best through doing and finding value in every experience, even the uncomfortable ones.
“Even if you don’t like it, you should find something you can take from every interaction or experience,” Erickson said. “If you go into something saying, ‘I hate this’ or ‘I just want to get it over with,’ you’re not going to learn much. But if you ask, ‘What can I learn from this?’ that’s the attitude that makes a good student.”
Erickson proposed integrating the role of Director of Community Engagement into the Center for Engaged Learning in April of 2021 to guide students toward volunteer and service-learning opportunities.
“I think people learn best when they can apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to the real world,” Erickson explains.
Through community engagement, he helps students take concepts from their courses and put them into action beyond campus.
“He was always influential, and he always wanted the best for his students, because he had aspirations for us, and he had aspirations for himself,” said Newell-Shortt.
