Skip To Main Content

BLS Stories

wendyhe3
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

Wendy He's academic journey at Ben Lippen began in 2011 and remembers it to be a place that fostered her intellectual curiosity and critical thinking skills...

Whitaker Family
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

The 2024 Ben Lippen commencement holds a unique significance for the Whitaker family. Maddie Whitaker is set to graduate almost 60 years to the day after her grandmother, Luann Washer Whitaker...

Ben Lippen class of 1968 reunites
  • Beyond Ben Lippen


At the end of April, the Alumni Office hosted the Class of '68 for their reunion. During their visit, they attended chapel where current seniors shared their testimonies and reminisced about preparing their own senior testimonies 55 years ago. The group also took a walk around the CIU campus to see a portrait of Robertson McQuilkin, Columbia International University's first president, painted by classmate Judee Dickinson.

Beyond Ben Lippen: Josh Cox
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

Josh Cox, a 2007 Ben Lippen graduate, has channeled his passion for woodworking to create a successful local business, Bricker and Beam.

Julia Weeks
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

Julia Weeks, a 2015 Ben Lippen alumna, went on to graduate from the University of South Carolina in 2019 with B.S. in Hospitality Management. Since then, Julia has been working at Graduate Columbia, a boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Columbia. 

Ryan Fleming
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

Ryan Fleming, class of 2019, is in his last year at Charleston Southern University where he is a Graphic Design major. After playing college football for a few years, Ryan retired from the cleats to focus on his academic endeavors full-time.

Marion Smith
  • Beyond Ben Lippen

Marion Smith is a man on a mission. In the almost 20 years since the Ben Lippen alumnus graduated, he has been speaking around the world, serving as CFO for the Common Sense Society, working at the Heritage Foundation, establishing an educational program, and more.

  • Blog Post

I am always amazed at how quickly the school year goes by. As we head into the summer months, it’s a perfect time for students and families to rest and recharge...

Beyond Ben Lippen: Keri Register Wallace ‘12

Many students who have attended Ben Lippen can vividly remember the colorful nature mural that covers the walls of the high school biology classroom. Many may not know that a talented alumna, Keri Register Wallace ’12...

Headshot of James Naruke

James Naruke first came to Ben Lippen School as a student in 1985. At the age of fifteen, he left his home in Japan to join the Mountain of Trust in Asheville, North Carolina...

  • Family Spotlight

“It’s important to show the American people the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom and the cost of our freedom,” he said. “To drive that home to them and let them know that what (the guards) are doing means something, but also to be able to speak into their lives about spiritual things is one of the greatest ministries I’ve ever had in the United States Army.”

  • News
  • Press Release

Ben Lippen Lower School has been named a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona.  The U.S. Department of Education recognizes 353 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student groups on assessments.