Ben Mark Cherrington, 1943 November - 1946 February

Cherrington was born in Gibbon, Nebraska on November 1, 1885. He graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1911. Cherrington then taught at Nebraska Wesleyan and the University of California at Berkeley. After serving in World War I he worked at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and became the Executive Secretary in 1919. He moved to Denver in 1918 and remained with the YMCA until he joined the faculty at the University of Denver in 1926. On June 28, 1924 he married Edith Harper and raised two children, Anne Mary and Benjamin Mark, Jr.

In 1926, Cherrington became the first Director of the Social Science Foundation at the University of Denver. He held the post for 25 years. Cherrington organized many free lectures on significant problems of the day. He participated in as many as 50 lectures a year in addition to radio talks and lectures to groups geared toward making the City of Denver more “international-minded." He was also Professor and the Chair of the Department of International Relations at DU. In 1943 he was appointed Chancellor of the University while Chancellor Caleb Gates was fulfilling his military service in World War II. Cherrington served in that post until 1946. During his term of office as chancellor, he added the School of Speech, Department of Theatre, and the Hotel and Restaurant Management School to the University's programs.

Cherrington authored a number of books, and he contributed to theological, social sciences and educational journals as well.

In 1934, because of his focus on international affairs, DU was given a Jury Award for the FIDAC Educational Medal for distinguished service in promoting international good will and understanding. The University of Denver was recognized as the most outstanding United States institution in the university's class. Cherrington retired from his position as Director of the Social Science Foundation in 1951.

In recognition of Cherrington’s contributions to international education, the University of Denver named Cherrington Hall after him. Cherrington Hall opened in 1966.

His work in international relations began in 1938 when Cherrington accepted the task of organizing the work of the newly-created Division of Cultural Relations in the U.S. Department of State at the invitation of Secretary of State Cordell Hull and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This work continued with the United Nations when he was involved with the U.N. San Francisco Convention in 1944. In addition to his work in education, Cherrington was an author of the United Nations Charter and a co-founder of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). He continued his work with the U.N. through UNESCO after World War II. He worked at UNESCO for six years developing its commission and temporarily presiding as chair until Milton Eisenhower took over. Cherrington then became vice-chair. His work in international relations and universal consciousness through education resumed with the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, which provided colleges and universities opportunities to establish cultural relations and international affairs programs for their students and faculties. Cherrington was a trustee for 36 years.

He also worked with the Rotary Club of Denver and Rotary International at this time until 1950. He was honored by Queen Elizabeth in 1956 for his contributions to international affairs. Cherrington retired in 1969 and remained in Denver until his death on May 2, 1980.