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Lifetime Loyalty Leads to Legacy Support for Future Business Students

Dr. Vicky Johnson

Dr. Vicky Johnson, ’76 FHU Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education.

In August of 1979, Dr. Vicki Johnson began her career at FHU as a professor in the College of Business. For 41 years, Dr. Johnson would create a positive impact on each of her students that passed through the courses she taught. After her retirement in June 2020, Dr. Johnson continues to impact lives of Business majors and faculty every year.

Dr. Johnson was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. She attended Freed-Hardeman University with the first four-Year class in 1972, and graduated in 1976 with her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Education. She moved to Birmingham and taught in a high school that was affiliated with the Churches of Christ. After two years of teaching, Dr. Johnson began to pursue her Master’s Degree in Business Education from UT Knoxville. Upon graduation in 1979, Dr. Johnson returned to the campus she loved so much and began teaching at Freed-Hardeman University. While teaching at FHU, she completed her doctorate at University of Mississippi in 1986.

“Dr. Johnson was a trailblazer at FHU,” Dr. C. J. Vires began. “She broke through the glass ceiling, becoming one of the first females to serve in academic leadership, first as an assistant dean and then as associate vice president. Her success in these roles provided an example and opened doors for others.”

“I knew when I was a sophomore that I wanted to come back to Freed-Hardeman University to teach,” Dr. Johnson said.

For four decades, Dr. Johnson taught a variety of courses relating to business, but her favorite was business communication. Every business major—regardless of their concentration—took business communication with Dr. Johnson.

“The business communication class taught by Dr. Johnson was challenging. She had very high expectations of her students. While students might not have liked it at the time, they certainly valued it once they entered the workplace. I’ve seen many of her former students come up to her and tell her, ‘thank you’ for how she approached the course,” Dr. Vires stated.

Dr. Matt Vega says, “Dr. Johnson taught her students the importance of professionalism. To this day alumni will still comment on how she taught them to conduct themselves with responsibility, integrity, and excellence.”

Dr. Johnson continues to leave a positive impact on the College of Business and the faculty and students. In 2022, Dr. Johnson established the Dr. Vicki Johnson Fund for the College of Business. The fund sets a firm foundation for the College of Business and covers a wide variety of needs.

“Since her retirement, Dr. Johnson has supported the College of Business as a mentor, friend and legacy donor,” Dr. Vega said.

When asked what guided her decision to set up this fund for the College of Business, Dr. Johnson said, “My love for the University and the students.”

To learn more about how you can leave a lasting impact on our students, contact Kyle Lamb, CFP® at 1-800-348-3481, ext. 6020 or klamb@fhu.edu today.

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