Business View Magazine | April 2021

155 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE APRIL 2021 JOHNSON UNI VERS I TY educator, and his wife, Emma. The C.B.C. enrolled approximately 3000 students from 1886 until it was discontinued in 1912. The Johnsons decided to turn the C.B.C. into a residential school, converted their family farm on 450 acres here in South Knox County, and built a home there with an addition for the students. The School of the Evangelists opened officially in 1893.” As a result of a petition circulated by students who wanted to honor their founders’ service, the school’s name was changed to Johnson Bible College in 1909. “That name really reflected that it was a legitimate school, doing college- level work,” says Smith. From its inception, the school included a strong commitment to the humanities as well its biblical and ministerial training. In 1956, the first graduate program (a Master of Theology degree) was inaugurated; in 1979, the Teacher Education Department was founded (with just 12 students at the time); and in 2011, the Board of Trustees approved a new mission statement and a new name change to Johnson University. “By that point, we were already offering a doctoral program and had reorganised ourselves into a university structure,” Smith shares. Their current roster includes accredited associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs – all with a biblical core – designed to equip students for careers in Christian ministry and other strategic vocations. “We have over 70 academic programs,” says Smith. “Of course, we have our Congregational Ministry programs, Preaching, Worship Leadership, Youth Ministry, Children’s Ministry, and so forth. But then we also have a solid Teacher Education program. We have strong Social Sciences, Psychology, Human Services, and Clinical Mental Health programs. We have a School of Communication and Creative Arts with programs in Music, President, Dr. Tommy Smith