Donor Biography

Doug Bennett grew up in Salt Lake as part of a very politically engaged family. He earned a bachelors in political science and philosophy and his JD from the University of Utah. Mary grew up in Bradford, PA obtaining her BA in Political Science from Penn State.

Doug and Mary both worked in D.C. as staff members in the House of Representatives, just down the hall from each other. They were destined to meet.

Mary’s background includes work in the New York State Assembly, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and as head of government relations for the Electronic Transactions Association.

Doug served as counsel to the committee on Energy and Commerce in the US House of Representatives, as a partner at two Washington DC lobbying firms, and retired as Vice President for Federal and International Affairs for Liberty Mutual Company.

Upon retirement and their move to Utah in 2014, Doug and Mary discovered a new home at Southern Utah University; Doug as a popular and influential professor of political science here at SUU and Mary as the dynamic Director of the Michael O. Leavitt Center for Politics and Public Service. Outside of work, Mary enjoys natural horsemanship with wild mustangs and serves on the board of the nonprofit Windhorse Relations.

Doug and Mary love students and contribute to their success through leadership and philanthropy. They love seeing young minds light up when they consider new ideas and new options in their lives. They want to be at SUU as long as they are needed to be a positive force in student’s lives.

Scholarship Criteria

Student must demonstrate interest in politics and government, be from a rural county in UT or NV, and have financial need. Awarded to 3.0 GPA students on junior or senior year.

Humanities and Social Sciences

Political Sci Criminal Justice

Varied Dollars/yr