“There’s something magical about this ground,” Steven Benezue said as he looked across the sprawling North Lake Campus.

Benezue retired from Dallas College in February after 22 years of teaching, directing the art gallery and coordinating student activities. He will be leaving behind a community that he deeply loves.

“I’ve met a lot of great people here and worked with a lot of great people,” he said.

Benezue has filled an array of roles, first as an adjunct faculty and later teaching ceramics and sculpture full-time. For 17 years, he also served as the North Lake gallery director. In his current position as student life coordinator, Benezue enjoyed planning events, parties, and activities to engage students.

Benezue lights up recalling favorite memories from nearly 25 years at NLC. He fondly describes the energy of installing new gallery exhibits while students and coworkers chatted with him, eager to see the artwork. “Although it kind of made the day longer because we had to stop and chat with them, it was almost like everybody came to see me,” Benezue said with a laugh.

In his student life coordinator role, Benezue cherishes bonding with students who “kind of almost live here.” He said, “This group is always here, and they get excited, and they get loud. And that’s kind of nice.” Benezue said he would miss the hubbub of student activities.

He was surprised and touched when students recently reacted strongly to his impending departure. “They were all upset that I was leaving because they love me, and I didn’t know,” he said.

At age 62, Benezue said he feels ready to embrace new adventures in retirement. “I would like to retire while I’m still young enough to enjoy retirement,” Benezue said. “I’ve seen a lot of my friends work so long that they retired too exhausted to pursue their dreams.”

He became eligible for full Teacher Retirement System benefits two years ago but stayed at NLC until he felt ready to leave. Now, with his spouse retired already, Benezue is eager to move on.

He said, “We’re going to move to North Carolina, and our grandbaby lives in Charlotte. So we’ll get to see her more than once a year.”

The area holds special meaning for him after a childhood vacation to the Smoky Mountains. Benezue told his parents back then that it was where he wanted to retire one day.

He laughs, “Sixty years later, I have. I’m going to retire there.” Beyond spending time with loved ones, Benezue eagerly anticipates exploring the green, mountainous terrain which differs starkly from the flat, sweltering Texas landscape he’s called home for nearly 50 years.

In this new chapter, Benezue plans to finally seek his master’s degree in social work, a goal he’s long contemplated. He then aims to work part-time as a family counselor.

Benezue explains his passion for helping others made teaching so fulfilling, and counseling provides similar rewards. Since he will not need the income, Benezue can control his schedule and client load based on his needs at each age.

He also hopes to teach the occasional class at the local community college.

But first, Benezue is taking a gap year to fully immerse himself in new hobbies and interests without the demands of school or work.

Benezue’s spouse jokes he’ll only last three months before finding a part-time job. “I don’t want one,” he said.

“It will give me more time to work on my creative [pursuits].” These include ceramic arts, graphic design and soap-making.

Benezue looks forward to having the freedom to devote more energy toward personal creative outlets he is had to neglect for a bit while working full-time.

When asked what advice he would offer young teachers, Benezue emphasizes having an open mind, fully supporting students and being willing to connect them with any resources that could help ‡ academic or otherwise.

Benezue said he recalls providing food or financial aid to struggling students in the years before NLC offered expanded services such as the food pantry.

“If you don’t care about their life outside of school, then you’re really not setting them up to succeed,” he said.

While thrilled to see what retirement holds, Benezue acknowledges he will profoundly miss walking the halls of NLC each day.

“Once North Lake gets you, it’s gotcha and it will not let go,” he said.

Benezue graduated from NLC earlier in life. He points out the unique magic that keeps drawing so many employees back to North Lake as students and then as staff members across their careers.

As he reflects on the legacy he hopes to leave, it is clear Benezue wants to be remembered for his wholehearted commitment to students.

“Be willing to give the students anything they need,” he says to fellow educators. Benezue modeled this tireless devotion during his 22 years of service.

Though retirement will open an exciting new chapter, a piece of Benezue’s heart will always remain at North Lake Campus.