Interview with Kristina Johnson, President of Ohio State University President

Today, we are talking with the Ohio State University President, Kristina Johnson.  Having just started at Ohio State last year, during the pandemic, President Johnson is happy to see things starting to get back to normal.  When she first started they were limiting gatherings to less than ten people, which President Johnson says made it hard to get to know members of the college.  By late May, just after graduation, they started to have in-person meetings again. Throughout the year President Johnson made sure to come into the office every day to be as visible as possible.  When it comes to leadership, President Johnson says she looks at it as being both a coach and a team player.  She says you have to be able to do both the little and the big things well.  Sometimes you’re the coach, and sometimes you’re a player.

President Johnson says for new students coming in, they’re excited about this new chapter after having their senior year of high school mostly remote.  When it comes to Sophomores, they feel like it’s their first year for a second time.  President Johnson reflects on a graduation celebration they had in August for those who graduated virtually in 2020.  She says it was great to see the excitement for all the students and their families on overcoming such a difficult year.

Recently, Ohio State announced a $20million investment in campus public safety.  President Johnson says safety is her number one priority.  These funds will help do things like expanding their free Lyft ride that gets students safely to and from campus. It will add more lighting and cameras not just on campus but in surrounding areas.  They’ll also use these funds to expand their security.  In addition to funding public safety, Ohio State is focused on investing in hiring faculty because they are who will be guiding and teaching the next generation.

When asked what the best advice she’s ever been given was, President Johnson says the former President of Ohio State told her to ask for help.  He said it was too big, complex, and difficult of a job to do by yourself.  She says she’s taken this advice to heart and asks for help often.  When it comes to the advice she likes to give to others, President Johnson says she tells her students to be servant leaders.  She says it’s important to serve the people you wish to lead.