E-Ben D. Grisby’99
History major
Special Education Teacher, Bronx, New York

As a student, E-Ben was active in student government, the Black Student Union, Black Cultural Center, the Gridiron yearbook, the Hispanic student association and Alpha Phi Omega. He worked as a research assistant, participated in the Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program and the Higher Education Opportunity Program. Volunteerism played a large role in E-Ben’s college experience; he traveled on SLU's Alternative Spring Breaks to a soup kitchen in East Baltimore, MD (1996) and to a Habitat for Humanity project, rebuilding a church in Portsmouth, VA (1997). Soon after graduation, he was elected to the Alumni Association’s Executive Council.

“I see the mission of the Alumni Council as reflecting the diverse cultures, beliefs, and pursuits that exist within the university, while also reflecting a voice that is becoming more inclusive,” he says. “I also joined the Council because I like to get involved on a proactive level in carrying out different tasks that prove both challenging and worthwhile.”

E-Ben describes St Lawrence as a school that offers some of the most supportive, helpful and intelligent minds to guide students in the process of reaching their goals. “I was able to be a ‘leader in the making,’ regardless of the risk involved. St. Lawrence allowed me to take the initiative to take risks that would further expand my possibilities,” he says. Today, as a special education teacher, he knows how to make changes and take risks that benefit his students and colleagues, as best as possible.