Race to 100 Alumni

Benji Hanon

Mental Health & Human Services Major
KCC Class of 2014
Current Title/Profession: Assistive Tech Specialist (Accommodations Software/Hardware) at KCC (9yrs)

Self-Nomination 

Benji Hanon was diagnosed with autism at 12. At age 18, he was enrolled at Kingsborough Community College, completing his GED on campus before going on to earn a degree in Mental Health and Human Services in 2015. Over a decade later, Benji still call Kingsborough home, and now serves as an Assistive Technology Specialist at KCC, helping students access the accommodations software and hardware they need to succeed. 

“Time at Kingsborough was magical, something that should not have been possible,” he says. For Benji, KCC represented more than just an academic institution. It was, in his words, a place of “hope, kindness, and love” and an environment that allowed him to develop both socially and professionally in ways he had not expected. The college’s genuine care for its students, he notes, does not end at graduation. 

His journey to becoming a staff member began through the personal connections he made during his time as a student at KCC. While attending, Benji participated in art classes and the gaming club, and was mentored by his advisor Peter Santiago, who later became his supervisor. After graduating, a call came from KCC offering him a role focused on accessibility. He eagerly accepted the position, and “The rest is history,” he explains. His continued involvement with the college’s Urban Farm, both before and after graduation, reflects the depth of his ties to the institution. 

What keeps Benji returning to KCC is his purpose. He describes his work in disability services and support for marginalized communities, particularly others on the autism spectrum, as his calling. “I want to be the person that I needed for others,” he extrapolates. He believes that Kingsborough is where he can best fulfill that purpose. Benji describes KCC’s campus culture with fondness stating, “KCC is the safest possible place to make big mistakes and learn from them,” highlighting a compassionate environment where students are given “express permission to not be okay.” No one is expected to perform a version of themselves they are not. That psychological safety, combined with accessible faculty and staff, allowed him to build resource management skills and shed assumptions about himself and others that he did not know he carried. “Diversity allows you to unpack your prejudices,” he clarifies. 

He credits KCC with preparing him for every academic step that followed, including his studies at Brooklyn College and Touro College. “KCC turns people into outstanding students. You learn what you need to be successful in four-year schools and graduate institutions,” he says. His advice to current students is to think long-term and to see accommodations and coursework as tools for visualizing a future for yourself When asked why he gives back, Benji is straightforward: “Those who were helped have a responsibility to help those who come after them. Giving back, also opens doors for the giver.” As for his relationship with the college itself, he is unambiguous, “I owe KCC my life.”