Born and raised in lovely Beaumont, Texas, Benlon V. Eaglin (Dr. Von) did not know his first name until he attended school. He just assumed it was Von because that’s what everyone called him. The self-described “chubby kid,” Von dedicated himself to sports after the bullies had their go at him – going after soccer, tennis, track, cross-country, powerlifting, and basketball, he excelled in football. (He doesn’t do anything halfway.) He eventually landed at Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, and had the opportunity to play Division 1 football after JUCO.
Needless to say, come-from-behind Von believes all people have tremendous potential and can strive toward significance, purpose, and meaning in their lives.
After receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration with a concentration in finance, he completed a year toward an MBA. While doing so, Von served as a Resident Assistant and Hall Director in the Residence Life Department at the University of North Texas (UNT). His experience serving, mentoring, and leading youth in their transitional life stages made him reevaluate his career ambition. Von graduated with an M.Ed. in Counseling from UNT in 2006 and a Ph.D. in Counseling and Higher Education from UNT in 2022.