The University system consists of two physical campuses and an online campus. The Tennessee campus is located in the upper Tennessee River valley on the banks of the French Broad River just upstream from where the French Broad and Holston Rivers form the Tennessee. The Online Campus is also located at the Tennessee Campus. The Florida Campus, Johnson University Florida, is located at the site of the former Florida Christian College, in Kissimmee, Florida, just 20 miles south of downtown Orlando, Florida.
History
The original name of the school was The School of the Evangelists. The school was renamed Johnson Bible College in 1909 after founder and first president Ashley Johnson agreed to have the school named after him. This name was used for 102 years until the college became Johnson University on July 1, 2011. The idea for a new school was first introduced in a sermon by Ashley S. Johnson at the Bearden Christian Church in 1892 when Johnson proposed the idea of a college level school for the gospels. In May 1893, guests boarded a steamboat in Knoxville to go up to the college for the laying of the cornerstone of the Main Building. The Main Building, with "its five-story square tower that offered a sweeping view of the French Broad, was completed in 1895." The original Main Building served the school until Dec 1, 1904, when a fire broke out from a chimney and completely destroyed the building. Following the fire, a new building was constructed of brick and the dedication was held in 1905. Johnson served the school until his death in 1925. Upon his death, his wife Emma Elizabeth Johnson served as the college president until her death in 1927. Alva Ross Brown was chosen as the third president from that year until his 1941 death. Campus expansion occurred under the schools third president Robert M. Bell, who served until is death in 1968. David L. Eubanks assumed the presidency in 1969 and served until retiring in 2007, overseeing the expansion of academic offerings and the construction of buildings at the base of the hill upon which the college was founded. Following his retirement, Gary E. Weedman became the president; during his tenure, the college assumed the style of a university. L. Thomas Smith Jr. was inaugurated as the seventh president in September 2018.
Presidents
The college has only had seven Presidents in its history. After the death of Ashley Johnson, Emma Elizabeth Johnson became president. She was one of the first women to be elected and serve as president of any college in the United States. Alva Ross Brown become president in 1927 and at the age of 22 was one of the youngest college presidents in US higher education history. Alva Ross Brown was followed in 1941 by professor and trustee Robert M. Bell as the fourth president of the college. The fifth, Dr. David L. Eubanks was the first President to retire from office but remains one of the longest serving college presidents in the US and later served as the Chief Operating Officer of Johnson University Florida. Across from the Old Main Building is located "Shiloh on the Heights", the final resting place of all the past presidents of the University and a Columbarium. In 1896, during his tenure as the college's president, Ashley Johnson wrote the Condensed Biblical Encyclopedia.
President
Term
Ashley S. Johnson
1893−1925
Emma E. Johnson
1925−1927
Alva Ross Brown
1927−1941
Robert M. Bell, Ph.D.
1941−1968
David L. Eubanks, Ph.D.
1969−2007
Gary E. Weedman, Ph.D.
2007−2018
L. Thomas Smith, Ph.D.
2018−present
Academics
Johnson University is accredited to award associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Arranged into 8 different schools, Johnson is able to offer over 70 different programs.
Since its founding, Johnson University has had many different buildings. While many are still in use, some have been refurbished and repurposed while a few have been demolished.
Academic
Myrtle Hall - Built 1951
Glass Memorial Library - Built 1964, enlarged 1989
Industrial Hall "Old Dusty" - 1898-1960. The Lower level contained the wood shops with Women's dorm rooms on upper floor.
Irwin Library - 1912-2000. This was the location of the second college library when it had outgrown the Old Main Building and was also a location of several classrooms. The library was adorned with Pink Tennessee Marble much of which is located in the sidewalk to Richardson Hall.
Brown Hall - 1971-2000
Johnson Hall - 1972-2000
Dairy Barn - 1800s to 1970s This was the home to the prized dairy herd; the Dixie Holstein Herd.
