Senior of the Week: Ben Gorman

Ben Gorman and Prashant Saxena at the beach. Ben Gorman/The Exonian

By Hansi Zhu

“I was definitely a weird kid growing up. I feel like I’m not as weird anymore,” senior Ben Gorman said, reflecting on his years as an Exonian. Although he has lived beside local burgeria Lexie’s since he was two years old, Gorman did not attend the Academy until his upper fall. Yet, coming in as a new, day-student upper did not stop him from leaving a mark in his two years at Exeter.

“[Ben] hit the ground running like he'd been here for a year or two already,” Gorman’s advisor and English instructor Johnny Griffith said. He has evidence to prove it. Now a two-year senior, Gorman serves as co-head of Gender-Sexuality Alliance (GSA). In addition, he is an avid performer in Stand-Up Comedy Club and an integral member of the Dow House proctor team. Whether it be through waitering at Lexie’s or hanging out in the dorm on weeknights, Gorman never fails to find a way to connect with the foremost reason he loves Exeter: its people.

“Part of it is the faculty,” Gorman said. “The teachers are just awesome, and [they] make every class so much fun. [But] more than the faculty, I just love all my friends at Exeter. I’ve made a lot of close friends for life.”

Gorman’s enthusiastic participation in GSA stems from the love he has for interacting with his peers. Despite steering clear of the affinity club his upper fall because he feared he “would not enjoy it,” Gorman took a chance and found that “it was actually a lot of fun and a really warming environment.”

“I figured I’d apply for co-head because I’d like to do the role that the co-heads did for me, but for other people,” Gorman said. “It’s really cool to lead all the meetings and see what people can come up with while we’re having discussions about queer topics.” 

Another place Gorman thrives is in the physics classroom. “I got into STEM when I was a kid because everyone who was a superhero was a scientist first,” Gorman recalled. “At its core, I really enjoy math, and physics is an extension of that. It’s just really cool how you can understand how the world works mathematically.”

When Physics Instructor Tatiana Waterman first met Gorman, she was impressed not only by his competency, but also his character. “His talent and intelligence are matched by his kindness; his explanations were excellent, and more importantly, they were delivered with much respect for his classmates’ intelligence,” Waterman said. “While he was helping those who were a bit behind, he did so humbly.”

But Gorman’s admirable qualities extend beyond the classroom. As a day student proctor in Dow House, he spends his Monday nights on dorm duty with his advisor and Dow faculty member Johnny Griffith, who describes him as “self-effacing, funny and easy to be with.”

​“Ben has been a wonderful addition to the proctor team this year, and he's bonded with the guys in the dorm,” Griffith said. “I think he is just what you'd hope an affiliated day student proctor would be. He's become a big part of the dorm and dorm culture.”

Fellow Dow House senior Prashant Saxena, who first met Ben when he hosted Ben for Experience Exeter, noted that “he’s one of the few people I feel are genuine in their emotions and care for others.”

Saxena’s sentiments are well reflected in the community. “He’s one of the smartest and funniest people I know,” senior and close friend Alisha Simmons said.

Simmons recalled her first interaction with Gorman, emphasizing his easy-going nature and intriguing presence on campus even before they met. “I had seen him around because he was tall and had orange hair, and I was wondering, ‘Where did he come from with that skateboard of his?’ And I thought, ‘Okay, I’m gonna be his friend.’”

Senior Francisco Silva described Gorman as “a good person to go to for advice, a second opinion, but also very lax and chill and very easy-going, easy to talk to, very funny—good sense of humor—but also grounded in his work, understands what he’s doing, and has a good understanding of himself.” 

“You can always depend on him,” Simmons added. “If I ever have a problem, I know that I can go talk to him and he’ll listen to me, and he won’t judge me, and he’ll be there. He’s always there.”

Just as Gorman is a source of optimism in the lives of his friends, he tries to maintain a positive outlook on his own life and achievements. “There’s a lot of stuff where if you just take a step back and look at it, it’s really not that big of a deal,” he said. “For example, grades don’t necessarily matter as much as if you’re proud of the work you do. I think if you’re putting your best self forward, that’s the best you can do, so there’s no point in worrying if it’s not good enough.”

Abiding by this philosophy, Gorman proudly engages in a myriad of activities at Exeter. As Simmons said, “When you see him, he’s sorta like this bro guy—he played football in middle school, and he’s super tall and big—but he also wears really weird outfits and skates and used to have orange hair. He has this queer identity, but he also does STEM and listens to weird music. He fits in everywhere.”

Gorman’s dynamic presence within the community stems from his curious mindset. He advises younger Exonians to “definitely take advantage of the time you have at Exeter. Be fearless. Easier said than done, but explore more things, be more adventurous.”

It is evident that Gorman’s urge to live in the moment and invest himself into the opportunities around him has earned him the admiration and loyalty of those who know him best. “He’s really into his work—the great thing about him is how he communicates with people and how interested he is in the things they do. He has that real sense of empathy and really just loves getting to know people,” Silva said.

Simmons agreed, adding, “A lot of people think he’s really intimidating, but he is such a genuine person, and it just spreads to anyone that he talks to. I think he feels like he hasn’t made that big of an impact, but he really has, in ways that I don’t think he knows.” 

“His gentle wit lifts the mood without putting anyone down,” Waterman added. “His impeccable manners come from his heart, without any affectation. I predict that he will make many people breathe easier in his lifetime, because he will touch many lives with the output of his heart and brain.”