John Benshoff

October 27, 2010

Ten questions with ... John Benshoff

Job on campus/department you work in: Director and professor, Rehabilitation Institute

How long at SIUC: 22 Years

Hometown: Johnstown, Pa.

People don’t know that … I am in my second career.

If you could choose another profession, what would it be and why? I’d be a carpenter: I like working with wood and the satisfaction of completing a project.

What is something you still want to accomplish in life? I would like to play golf in all 50 states. (I’m a little over halfway there.)

What was the first “album” you ever bought, and was it an LP, 8-track or CD? My first recorded music purchase was probably the Ballad of Davy Crockett, a 45 RPM record, back when I was 10. My first album was probably a Dave Clark 5 LP.

What is one random fact about you? One of my ancestors owned the first indoor plumbed porcelain bath tub in Cambria County, Pa.

Cats or dogs? Both: I’ve owned a really terrific dog and an exceptional cat.

What is your favorite food and why? Sharon and I own about 200 cookbooks, so my favorite food is often the next exciting recipe we try. Then again, sometimes, but not often, it turns out to be my least favorite food.

Who has inspired you, and how? My dad. He was an all-around good guy.

What is your pet peeve? Mindless bureaucracy.

Favorite cartoon character? Opus from the Berkeley Breathed comic strip “Bloom County.” What’s not to love about a red bow-tie wearing, naïve penguin?