Michael Bennett

At DePaul University, Dr. Bennett served as executive director of the Egan Urban Center (1997-2008) and Associate Professor in DePaul’s Department of Sociology where he teaches courses in urban planning, community development, economic and social policy, and issues of race and ethnicity.  He has degrees from Kent State University (B.A. 1968), and The University of Chicago (A.M. 1972 and Ph.D. 1988).

Dr. Bennett has taught at the University of Illinois-Chicago, The University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration, Columbia College (Chicago), Kent State University and The University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Previously, he held positions with the nation’s first community development bank, ShoreBank Corporation in Chicago and Arkansas: president of The Neighborhood Institute, a non-profit community development corporation affiliated with ShoreBank; VP of South Shore Bank, and VP of the holding company, ShoreBank Corp.  And for 18 years, Dr. Bennett served on the board of Shared Interest, a fund that along with its Johannesburg affiliate, the Thembani International Guaranty Fund, provides financing and technical assistance to small indigenous enterprises in South Africa.  Other board memberships include: The African American Leadership and Policy Institute, the Asset Based Community Development Institute, the Endeleo Institute, The Imani Village LLC (Trinity United Church of Christ affiliates) and the Fathers, Families and Healthy Communities initiative.