The Dr. Jean Johnston Scholarship

The Dr. Jean Johnston Scholarship was established at The University of Akron, in November 2017, by Dr. James Johnston. It will support undergraduate students pursuing degrees within The College of Applied Science and Technology, who demonstrate a strong work ethic and a commitment to the University.

Dr. Jean Johnston earned her undergraduate degree from Carnegie Mellon University and her Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. She came to The University of Akron in 1965 as an assistant professor. She was the first woman, in what was previously known as The University of Akron’s Community and Technical College, to be promoted to full professor.

Before coming to Akron, Dr. Johnston worked for the U.S. State Department in Pakistan, Germany, and Japan, and also taught at U.S. Army School in Italy. At the University, she developed the legal secretarial and the international secretarial programs and instituted several new courses in the Office Administration area.

Dr. Johnston returned to Japan several times to teach, conduct research and to present papers at conventions. She coauthored Newsweek magazine’s Corporate Communication Program to teach writing to managers in business, and won the Outstanding Article of the Year Award for her article, “Don’t Leave Your Language Alone” in the Business Education Forum.

Dr. Johnston was awarded the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award by The University of Akron’s Alumni Association in 1982, and was conferred as Professor Emeritus in 1989. She is remembered as an enthusiastic, vital and creative teacher by her students and as a dedicated, caring friend by her colleagues at The University of Akron.

The Dr. Jean Johnston Scholarship provides scholarship assistance to undergraduate students demonstrating outstanding personal characteristics, including a strong work ethic, dedication to service and a commitment to campus involvement. Recipients will be incoming or returning students with a 2.5 or higher overall GPA who are enrolled in a degree program in The College of Applied Science and Technology. Selection of recipients will be made by the College of Applied Science and Technology.