Dr. Portia Benson is Associate Dean of Academics: Academic Operations and Services at Principia College. Before moving into academic leadership, she served as a faculty member in the Economics and Business Administration departments, teaching courses in economics, econometrics, finance, and accounting.
Dr. Benson earned a BA in Sociology/Anthropology from Principia College, an MBA from West Texas A&M University, and a PhD in Economics from the University of Reading (UK). She is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and brings more than 25 years of experience in higher education, financial management, consulting, and organizational leadership.
In recognition of her commitment to teaching, she was named Principia College's Teacher of the Year in 2020. Her research explores the intersections of economics, public policy, and civic engagement, with particular interests in tax behavior, institutional trust, and participatory governance. Her current research examines how civic engagement and social capital contribute to economic prosperity, institutional resilience, and stronger communities.
Education
- PhD, Economics, University of Reading
- MBA, West Texas A&M University
- BA, Sociology/Anthropology, Principia College
Scholarly Interests
- behavioral economics and finance
- tax morale and compliance
- civic engagement and economic prosperity
- ethics and corporate governance
Contributions to the Field
- Dr. Benson has shared her research at graduate student conferences in the UK. She has also presented her economics teaching philosophy at the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis at both the 2023 and 2024 Professor's conferences.
Memberships & Affiliations
- American Economic Association (AEA)
- Institute for Management Accountants (IMA), Certified CMA
- National Financial Educators Council (NFEC)
Publications & Presentations
- Benson, P. 2024. “Game Changer: Using Sports to Teach Gender Equality’s Economic Impact” St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank Professor’s Conference, St. Louis, MO, November 8, 2024.
- Benson, P. 2024. "The Effects of Participatory Budgeting on Local Government Tax Compliance" University of Reading Graduate Conference, Reading, UK, June, 2024.
- Benson, P. 2023. “Active Learning by Scaffolding Assignments: The Trade-offs between Book Learning and Scaffolding” St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank Professor’s Conference, St. Louis, MO, November 3, 2023.
- Benson, P. 2023. "Political Leader Gender and Tax Morale: Evidence from the UK Elections" University of Reading Graduate Conference, Reading, UK, June, 2023.
- Benson, P. 2022. "Examining the Effects of Injunctive and Descriptive Norms on Tax Non-compliance on US Individual Income Payers" University of Reading Graduate Conference, Reading, UK, June, 2022.
Awards
- Principia College Teacher of the Year, 2020
