Benjamin Goss took an early interest in so many different vocations, it was difficult for him to select just one. Ultimately, he settled on a career in education that would allow him to experience a little of everything through his students.
“I began to realize that pedagogy was indeed not only a singular place where I could fulfill my own talents, but also a place from which I could vicariously experience the success of others in career paths I couldn’t walk,” Goss says.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English education and a master’s in health & physical education, both from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La. He also holds a Doctor of Education in teaching and sports administration from The University of Southern Mississippi-Hattiesburg.
In 2004, Goss joined the Missouri State University faculty as assistant professor of management. In addition to teaching management and entertainment management classes, he has taken on several leadership roles, including serving on the faculty senate since 2007 and on subcommittees for MSU’s NCAA self-study committee.
He also is engaged in serving off campus. He serves on the board of directors for African Basketball Online, an organization that promotes scholastic excellence, leadership education and social development through basketball programs in African countries.
Goss also serves on the board of the Southern Sport Management Association. His contributions are multiplied by the number of students he has led and empowered through the years.
In 2009, one of Goss’ classes partnered with the head men’s soccer coach at MSU to increase attendance at games, raise money to support the soccer program and give something to charity.
This proved to be the beginning of a legacy that would be continued by future classes.
Collectively, Goss and his students have generated more than $14,000 for the men’s soccer program, gathered enough food and cash to provide almost 800 meals for Ozarks Food Harvest, donated $1,200 for Ozarks Honor Flight and increased game attendance to near the all-time attendance record for the men’s soccer program.
“I’ve been allowed the opportunity to pool my abilities and energies with some incredibly talented and hard-working young people to capture the power of education and sport to boost the institution’s academic and athletic programs (and)extend the impact of those efforts beyond our campus into the community,” he says.
Goss is the co-founder of the Journal of Sport Administration & Supervision, of which he currently serves as editor-in-chief.
Even with plenty of his own accomplishments, he says he he’s most proud of his students’ accomplishments, from pursuing post-graduate education to landing their dream jobs.
“Every time they’re photographed with a celebrity, attend a major event, travel globally, or return to my classes to speak, I know that they’re carrying a part of me with them,” Goss says.
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