Finding Greatness: Ben Fincher

Author: News Bureau
Posted: Thursday, October 10, 2024 12:00 AM
Categories: Faculty/Staff | Pressroom | Finding Greatness | Students | School of Arts and Letters

Macon, GA

After earning his bachelor’s in History and master’s in Technical & Professional Writing from MGA, Ben Fincher went on to graduate from law school and become a research scientist at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Full Name: Benjamin D. Fincher.

Age: 28.

Hometown: Bonaire.

Residence: Charlottesville, Va.

Job: Research scientist at the University of Virginia School of Law.

Degrees: Bachelor of Arts in History, Middle Georgia State University, Class of 2019; Master of Arts in Technical & Professional Writing, Middle Georgia State, Class of 2021; J.D., Gonzaga University School of Law; MLIS (in progress), University of Washington.

Tell us about your career path and some highlights of your professional life.

My professional career began at Middle Georgia State University as a history and political science tutor. As a tutor, I learned active listening skills and teaching techniques that became essential for surviving law school. I also volunteered as a tutor in the Writing Center and was the president of the English Studies Organization. Both opportunities gave me experience working with students and a thirst to work full time in academia. Further, thanks to the MGA undergraduate conference, I was able to have a paper published in the Knighted academic journal and present multiple papers which really helped boost the quality of my resume for law school and my current position.

After working as a tutor, I became a graduate assistant with the MGA Writing Center where I helped train tutors, work with students, and convert the Writing Center to an online platform in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time, I learned much about the life of faculty, how to work one on one with students and patrons to handle difficult problems, and how to adapt to new technologies under pressure.

After completing my master’s, I attended Gonzaga University School of Law where I graduated with honors in 2024. During my time at law school, I worked in the Indian and General Practice Clinic, competed in the annual oral argument competition (making it to the final four in my first year), did an international internship in Milan, Italy, as a legal researcher, and worked as teaching and reference desk assistant at the Chastek Law Library.

Following law school, I began working at the University of Virginia Law Library as a research scientist and am currently working on obtaining my master's in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Washington.

Describe how your Middle Georgia State experiences are benefiting you now in your career and personal life?

MGA profoundly changed the trajectory of my career and personal life. I met my wife, also an MGA graduate who has returned for a second degree in IT, and some of my closest and dearest friends. The faculty and staff in the History and English departments were incredibly kind, thoughtful, and encouraging. They taught me strong research and writing fundamentals that were pivotal for law school. I often referred to notes from my historical research and writing classes throughout my first year of law school and frequently implemented study and reading techniques taught in the program to pass my law exams. My undergraduate experience gave me an advantage over my peers in that I already understood much of the fundamentals of skillful writing and quality research.

Likewise, my master’s in Technical & Professional Writing has come into play multiple times throughout my studies. In Italy, I performed both legal international research and copy-editing services for RSM Global, ensuring their translated materials communicated the firm's mission and goals. Now as a researcher, I often employ techniques I learned from this program into my daily communications, writings, and interactions.

Most importantly, however, was my experience with the Middle Georgia State librarians. They are exceptional, amazing, wonderful, and one of the major reasons I am now working as a law librarian (the other being my incredible mentor, Professor Patrick Charles, who is director of the Gonzaga Law Library). The MGA library staff were encouraging and enthusiastic, and their energy for their jobs contagious and insightful. I found what they did magical and was determined to follow them in some manner, thus leading me to the University of Virginia as a law librarian.

What advice do you have for students now studying at MGA?

Engage. Join student organizations, spend time with your professors, look for ideas to write about, and then present those ideas.

Self-advocate. Faculty and staff want to help you. If you have an idea or a plan to build work experience and networks, go for it. The worst anyone can say is no.

Be hungry for knowledge. Your academic and college experience is dependent on the degree of effort you put into learning. School is a personal experience. It is more than just gaining a degree. It is about growing your abilities to think critically and engage with the world. Read, write, and wrestle with your class assignments. They’ll make you stronger.