Raleigh Native Takes Charge of Johnston Community College
Dr. David Johnson, president of Johnston Community College
Dr. David Johnson changed careers 15 years ago, but his belief system remained the same. It’s a path that took him from divinity school to leadership roles at community colleges in Virginia to his current role as president of Johnston Community College.
Johnson took the reins as the college’s third-ever president on July 1, succeeding Dr. Donald L. Reichard who held the position for the past 10 years. Johnson served in many leadership capacities during his previous stops after entering into the community college segment of the education industry.
The first 10 years of Johnson’s professional career was in ministry. The Raleigh native earned a music education degree from Campbell University and a master’s degree in divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Many members of Johnson’s family, however, worked in various facets of education. That factor prompted him to consider a change.
“My philosophy of life all along has been that we are here to help and serve others first and foremost. That was part of what drove me to the ministry,” Johnson said.
“I found that the community college mission was so much like my ministry philosophy in terms of giving people second chances, being available to literally save people’s lives in terms of providing for educational opportunities. They could in turn provide for themselves and their families, become productive citizens and upwardly mobile,” he went on to explain. “It just was an opportunity to meld my ministry philosophy with an educational philosophy and serve the greater good.”
Johnson prepared to enter the community college realm by earning a doctorate in adult education from NC State University. His career then took him north to Virginia.
Leadership roles at Tidewater Community College’s campus in Virginia Beach led Johnson into a position in continuing education and workforce development at Wytheville Community College in Virginia’s mountains. Johnson’s most recent position was as provost at Southside Virginia Community College, not far from the North Carolina border.
It was during all of those stops that Johnson believes he became prepared to lead Johnston Community College, especially as a facilitator of workforce development.
“Community colleges are on the cutting edge of economic development,” Johnson said. “Economic development is much beyond just creating a job. Unless you can sustain that job, the job creation doesn’t last long. Continuing education and workforce development are an integral part of economic development and it allows the sustainability of the job creation in the area.”
Johnston Community College is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The college, with its main campus in Smithfield, has an enrollment of more than 15,000 students in full-time curriculum and continuing education programs.
Johnson described the college’s stability and quality reputation as just two of the reasons he applied to be president. Now in the position, he hopes to play a role in enhancing those attributes.
“There is a great deal of change when a new president comes. With that being said, I intend to do an awful lot of listening, being visible, being out of the office more than in the office. I want to be where the people are and where the action is both on campus and off,” Johnson said.
“JCC has proven itself through the years, and I’m just delighted to be a part of what’s already been established and taking it to the next level,” he concluded.
Comments
I enjoyed reading this article about our new President and I would like to say that his comments regarding community colleges being on the cutting edge of economic development and job creation are very true. It is very important for individuals to obtain the needed skills to prepare them for success in all levels of society and also in the workplace setting. The workplace is where most people spend the majority of their days and community colleges seek to create the type of educational success that translates to job and economic success. As a staff member at Johnston Community College, it is a privilege to help individuals in the community become students and to help them reach their educational and career aspirations. With our new President, I hope that JCC can continue to provide new and forward thinking opportunities to those in our communities and surrounding cities and towns.
I am one of the older students at JCC, and I would like to say that it has been a blessing in my life to have the opportunity to finally be able to attend college. Community colleges are one of the best things to happen in this state that I know of. Even though I thought I was too old to attend college, I have had nothing but encouragement from instructors and faculty from JCC since I started in the fall of 2007. I am a dislocated worker, and even if I cannot find employment after I graduate in May 2010, I will have benefited from the college experience. I want to thank people like you who believe in community colleges and the students of these colleges. Welcome to JCC!!
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