Awards

School of Public Health W.W. Patty Distinguished Alumni Award - 2001

About Stephen Bender

Dr. Stephen Bender served as Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) at San Diego State University for 34 years from 1970 to 2004. At the GSPH, he was the founding head of the Division of Health Promotion, and also served as both its associate director and acting director. Dr. Bender published numerous articles in scholarly journals, authored five books, and was the recipient of over six million dollars in grant/contract awards.

He graduated from SUNY- College at Brockport in 1966, where he earned his B.S. in Public Health and played on its varsity football team. Dr. Bender then attended Indiana University, receiving both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Public Health in 1970. In 1998, Dr. Bender founded RaceLegal, a program that offers a safer and legal alternative to illegal street racing in San Diego. The School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation awarded Dr. Bender the W.W. Patty Distinguished Service Award in 2001.