Esther Benoit M.Ed. ’06, Ph.D. ’09, joins W&M faculty

This fall, the School of Education welcomes new faculty members. Today, we introduce Clinical Associate Professor and Field Coordinator Esther Benoit M.Ed. ’06, Ph.D. ’09, who is joining our Counseling faculty.

Tell us a little about your background and what brought you to W&M.

I grew up in a military family and lived in Germany, California, and Kansas before heading to graduate school at William & Mary (W&M) in 2004. Since graduating from my Ph.D. program, I went on to teach primarily in online counseling programs, and have been grateful to stay connected with my W&M community by teaching a few courses in the counseling program each year. Of all the places I’ve been, W&M students have always been the most engaged and caring students I’ve encountered. I’m thrilled to be back at W&M working in both the online and on-campus programs and getting the chance to contribute to a program that helped scaffold my career.

What’s your area of research and what question are you most passionate about answering right now?

I’m most curious about career longevity and how to balance the demands and rewards of clinical work. I'm learning more about what helps sustain energy and effort in a challenging career field and how to build professional habits that encourage lifelong growth and engagement.

What else are you hoping to get involved with on campus or in the community?

I’m excited to get to know our students (both on-campus and online!) and to partner with community agencies to support field experience.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I enjoy traveling, knitting, cooking and baking. Let me know if you need sourdough starter!