09/10/2026
It is with great sadness that we share the passing of our beloved director, V. Stanley Benfell, who passed away unexpectedly on the morning of September 7, 2026. Stan had served as Director of the David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies and Associate International Vice President of BYU since 2021.
Prior to that, he served as the Kennedy Center’s Associate Director for Academics and Research and faculty coordinator of the European Studies program. He was also involved directing numerous study abroad programs, including many to the BYU London Centre. He began his career at BYU in 1993 in the Department of Comparative Arts and Letters, where he focused on Renaissance and medieval literature and had a particular passion for Dante.
Stan was deeply admired, loved, and respected. He always had an open door and loved to listen to and learn from students, colleagues, and friends. His academic, interpersonal, and spiritual strengths led and shaped the Kennedy Center in lasting ways.
A viewing will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 9:00-10:30 AM, with the funeral following at 11:00 AM that day at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located at 925 North Temple Drive, in Provo, Utah.
You can share a memory of Stan or read his obituary at https://www.larkinmortuary.com/obituary/view/vincent-stanley-benfell-iii/.
