BENJAMIN KANAGY

Benjamin Kanagy of Wichita Trinity Academy was selected as a Lifelong Learning Scholar in 2021.

His parents are Pam and Nathan Kanagy, and he has two siblings, Graham and Gabrielle.

Ben earned two bachelor’s degrees in three total years of undergraduate study. Interested in human life and experience, Ben chose to major in Psychology at Kansas State University, where he took courses in psychological research, theory, and clinical application. An especially formative experience at K-State was a World Religions course, which examined the major world religions from an anthropological perspective, and Ben gained personal experience soon after through cross-cultural trips to India and South Africa.

What began as a secondary interest quickly turned into an additional bachelor’s degree in Bible at Manhattan Christian College. Taking additional credits every semester on top of his K-State coursework, Ben studied biblical theology, history, and interpretation and even gained practical skills for ministry work in communities of Christian faith. During his Bible degree, Ben took a special interest in biblical intertextuality and the Hebrew Prophets and was primed for further study.

Ben received a top scholarship at Wheaton College to pursue a Master of Arts in Biblical Exegesis, a degree focused on cultivating interpretive and hermeneutical skills for studying biblical texts in their original languages. The program includes intense training in both Hebrew and Greek. Ben hopes to continue broadening his education at Wheaton by auditing courses in history, philosophy, literature, and the sciences while also getting hands-on experience in a research lab.

Integrating interests in psychology and religion, Ben enjoys studying the psychology of belief by reading favorite authors such as Carl Jung, Jordan Peterson, and Jonathan Haidt. With his eye on an academic career, he looks forward to seeing how his master’s program will set him up for a doctoral degree and/or becoming an educator.

For Ben, learning isn’t confined to his educational institutions, a valuable lesson the Lifelong Learning Scholarship has taught him. He is immensely grateful for the community of scholars in the foundation who inspire him to seek new experiences and challenge him with wisdom and perspective. “I firmly believe that I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all the people I have interacted with along the way. Encountering people of diverse experiences, personalities, and beliefs is vital to becoming a well-rounded learner— and person in general.”