Benjamin Bolger

Benjamin Bolger (born 1975) is an American perpetual student who had earned 16 academic degrees as of March 2022.

Biography

Benjamin Bolger was born to Donald, an engineer with General Motors, and Loretta, a schoolteacher, and was raised in Grand Haven, Michigan. At the age of two, his parents were both seriously injured when the family was involved in a near-fatal car accident caused by a drunk driver; Bolger says that this encouraged him to make the most out of his life.

In first grade, he was diagnosed with dyslexia. Special education programs did not help him, and, in fourth grade, his mother began home-schooling Bolger, while undergoing a divorce. At the age of 12, Bolger began taking classes at Muskegon Community College, graduating with an A.A. by the age of 17. He then transferred with those credits to the University of Michigan, majored in sociology, and graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 grade point average. From there, he took an internship with the Clinton Administration with Press Secretary Mike McCurry. Bolger's mother moved with him to each college and university that he attended and helped him by reading his assignments to him aloud. Georgetown University, and in 2004 at Boston College's Lynch School of Education towards an MA in higher education.

Bolger worked as a visiting professor at the College of William and Mary. 2016 - University of Tampa (Master of Fine Arts in creative writing) 2016 - West Virginia Wesleyan College (Master of Fine Arts in nonfiction) 2017 - University of Georgia (Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting)

Personal life Bolger endeavors to sleep only 4–5 hours a night. Bolger has an extensive photograph collection with "compelling and controversial" public figures.

Bolger was featured on the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation Season 8, Episode 23 entitled "Back to School".

Bolger was featured on a September 2026 episode of Sideways hosted by Matthew Syed on BBC Radio 4 .