By: Anne Reynolds, Director of Advancement Communication, Office of University Advancement and Alumni Relations
Family ties brought Colonel Tom Johnson, USMCR (Retired), to George Mason University, and his dedication to Mason’s community has made an impact on countless Mason families, thanks to two of his daughters.
Molly Johnson transferred to Mason in 2018, earned her bachelor’s degree in early childhood special education in 2019, and her master’s degree in elementary education in 2022. She is now a teacher with Fairfax County Public Schools. In 2021, Melissa Johnson came to Mason as a graduate assistant. She received a master’s degree in higher education in May 2023 and is now the assistant director of new student programs at Mason.
During his daughters’ Mason experience, Johnson has been an active member of the Parent and Family Council (PAFC). PAFC, administered by University Life, invites parents and families to participate in the university community and serves as a bridge between the university and prospective and current families.
“I wanted to learn more about the community and participate to the extent I could with what’s happening at the university,” said Johnson. “I brought a different perspective, coming from a 35-year career with the State Department and the military. My dad had been in the higher education business, and I wanted to get back to that, and this was my best opportunity to do so. That was the initial motivation, and I didn’t know how good it could be.”
The council comes together twice a year and meets with campus leaders such as President Gregory Washington, Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell, and the Green Machine’s Director, Michael Nickens.
“The parents get a chance to ask questions and give input… and then during the course of the year we write articles for the website about different things: homesickness or tutoring needs” and other issues of interest to students’ families.
With the daughters’ graduations from Mason, the Johnson family has made other lasting contributions, creating two scholarships designed to assist a special group of Mason students.
The Dr. K. Richard Johnson Memorial Scholarship for Veterans was established in memory of Johnson’s father, a college professor who became the president of the National College of Education (later National-Louis University) in Evanston, Illinois, the oldest private elementary teachers’ college in the United States. It provides scholarship support to veterans, with a preference for Marines and Navy Hospital Corpsmen who served with the Marines, who are seeking licensure in elementary or early childhood education.
Johnson and his daughters have also established the Colonel Tom Johnson Family Scholarship for Veterans to assist undergraduate students who are veterans—with a preference for Marines or Navy Hospital Corpsmen who served with Marines—with the expenses of unpaid internships. Recognizing the importance of internship experience, Johnson aims to make that experience possible for veteran students.
Johnson is enthusiastic about how Mason serves its students, including its military students. “What’s wonderful is the support and the safety net that exists here,” he said. And he encourages other families to become involved through the PAFC.
“It’s a chance to get insights into the place where your child is going to school… you’re going to find out an awful lot about Mason and how everything works.”
To learn more about the Parent and Family Council including how to join, visit: masonfamily.gmu.edu