Julie Caswell, president of AAEA, presents the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award to Benjamin Collier.

Benjamin Collier grew up in Murfreesboro, but his recent accomplishment is something that only a very small percentage of adults actually obtain.

Collier, son of Robert and Joan Collier of Murfreesboro, was recently awarded the Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award given in recognition of development of professional excellence by the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.

Dr. Collier graduated from Cedar Hall High School in Christiana and received his B.A. in Psychology from Asbury College, M.S. in Psychology, M.S. in Economics, and Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University Kentucky. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Brittany, and daughter, Jane, where he is completing a post doctoral fellowship at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.