Born in Bangladesh, Tusty ten Bensel moved to the United States with her family when she was 5 and grew up in Hot Springs. When it came time for college, she knew she wanted to stay close to home so she attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, thinking she might later go to law school.
But she “fell in love” with her criminal justice classes and her adviser suggested ten Bensel consider graduate school. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UA Little Rock and her doctorate in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Ten Bensel has won accolades for her research — she has published widely — and her teaching, as well as her service to the community. “My goal has always been to do research that’s meaningful in the community. It has always been to help individuals in the community, especially women and children,” which is why she has focused on sexual violence and victimization.
But ten Bensel’s proudest professional achievement is receiving the Educator of the Year Award from the Single Parent Scholarship Fund of Pulaski County.
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