2022 Benigna Education Award

Elizabeth Kuehner Mauch, PhD ’93

The Benigna Education Award recognizes an alumna or alumnus for his or her outstanding contributions to the field of education. Administrators, college professors, elementary and secondary teachers, and all those in the teaching profession are eligible. To be considered, nominees should have made significant innovations in the teaching profession or otherwise substantially impacted the education process, and in addition have demonstrated dedication to the community at large.

Elizabeth Kuehner Mauch’s career as an educator adds up to excellence. She received her bachelor of science in mathematics from Moravian in 1993 and also completed here at Moravian the requirements to receive her Instructional 1 Teaching Certificate from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. She then traveled across the river to Lehigh University to earn her master’s and doctorate degrees in mathematics.

Elizabeth first served as a professor of mathematics at Bloomsburg University, where she became dean of the college of education in 2009, holding that position until 2017. During her service as dean, she oversaw a successful reaccreditation by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), an accreditation the college had lost prior to her tenure. She also led the university to what was at that time its largest gift to date—a donation from Mrs. Susan McDowell to launch the McDowell Institute for Teacher Excellence in Positive Behavior Support at Bloomsburg.

A dedicated advocate for advancing education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, Elizabeth launched the Regional STEM Education Center in collaboration with faculty, regional school districts, and business leaders. The center attracts high-achieving high school juniors and seniors who want to get a head start on their college careers in the science, technology, engineering, math, and education disciplines.

Today, Elizabeth serves as the 15th president of Bethany College in Lindsborg, Kansas, having previously fulfilled the role of vice president of academic affairs and dean of the college. In May and June of 2019, Elizabeth traveled to Poland as a Fulbright Specialist. She taught and collaborated with science and engineering faculty at the University of Lodz on the topic of flipped classrooms. Elizabeth draws no boundaries around her work to advance innovation in education.