"I want the people of West Virginia to be proud of the university. I think that’s really, really essential," Benson said in an interview at Stewart Hall. After beginning his tenure in Morgantown, Benson set off on a 55-county tour of West Virginia to rebuild connections and highlight local communities. "I fell in love with the beauty of West Virginia, and that was only eclipsed by, really, the beauty of the people. "And I want to make sure I’m very clear on this: There is a place for every West Virginia high school graduate who wants to come to West Virginia University."