Interview by Kirk Whisler and Beatriz Palmer; Article by Melanie Slone
Dr. Lennor M. Johnson, the new Superintendent/President of MiraCosta College, talks about the importance of making higher education a goal. “I always go back to where I started,” he says. “I’m a first-generation college student…from Chicago. All my family members for the most part worked in the factories.” Today, “I feel like it’s my obligation to give back and show others that path to a better life,” he says.
Dr. Johnson is the first African American Superintendent/President in MiraCosta College’s 92-year history. He comes with 28 years of leadership in education, including as Superintendent/President at Imperial Valley Community College District, where community college applications were high. Reaching that goal here at MiraCosta means “assertive outreach,” including “making sure high school students know the financial aid process, the orientation process, and have some type of preliminary education plan before they graduate from high school,” he tells us.
“There’s no reason why students are not at least applying to the institution…We are the gate to opportunity, so it’s our responsibility to get out there, to build solid alliances with our K–12 partners and ensure that their students come to community college,” he adds.
Lived Experience
Dr. Johnson says education is an abstract concept in some spaces. “When I was growing up, we didn’t go around talking about going to college,” he says. “How can we get in front of the parents? How can we let the counselors and the teachers know that this is an option for our students? There are several different pathways that they can pursue. And we’re going to be here to make sure they’re successful.”
He talks about bringing in professionals who reflect the needs of the students. “That lived experience is important to bring to the classroom,” he says. “They can relate to our students and tell them, ‘Hey, I’m a first-generation college student. I know these challenges you’re going through. I know you may have some people around you who say education may not be for you because I’ve been there. But now, I defied the odds. I know you can. And here’s how we’re going to do it.’”
Community Needs
Dr. Johnson hopes to serve all communities. “I want to make sure that I help as many students as possible,” he says. “I want to make sure that we’re being responsive to the community and to the community needs.”
He feels higher education institutions tend to live in a bubble, “catering to a certain population… At the same time, you may be ignoring the adult population, the reentry population, the minority population.”
His goal is to create systems to support students who may feel left out while retaining those already enrolled at MiraCosta College. “How can we make sure that our residents are being successful?” he asks.
Reaching Diverse Student Populations
Dr. Johnson comes to us from Imperial Valley, where 75% of K–12 teachers, 77% of administrators, and 82% of professional service providers are Latino, some of the highest percentages in California. Moreover, 74% of Latino high school graduates there are going to college, a number higher than in any school district in San Diego County.
Dr. Johnson is bringing his expertise in engaging diverse leadership to MiraCosta College. “Every community is different,” he notes, but he plans to connect with the community and understand the needs by listening to the concerns of teachers and counselors. Then, he says, he plans to make sure their recommendations are put into practice. “We’re going to make sure students are welcome to the college,” he says.
At MiraCosta College, 43% of students identify as Latinos. Meanwhile, Dr. Johnson says only about 25% of the faculty members do. “There’s a disparity,” he recognizes. He hopes to attract highly qualified, diverse faculty and leaders, something he excelled at while in Imperial Valley.
Beyond the Classroom
Dr. Johnson believes many students drop out not for academic reasons but due to other factors, such as having a difficult home life, working two jobs, or raising a family. “We can focus on looking at the student as a whole and identifying those barriers holding them back,” he says.
One program he led in Imperial Valley got 26 students into tiny homes, after which their GPA went from a 1.7 to a 3.1. “It had a cascading impact on all of our students,” he says. “Other folks dealing with homelessness came to the forefront…who wouldn’t have come forward if we didn’t have that.”
He believes getting rid of the stigma allowed students to ask for help, and partnerships with the county and other agencies helped them assist even more students. “When you eliminate the stigma, more students come to the forefront, identify challenges…we acted on those challenges,” he notes.
Dr. Johnson knows MiraCosta has all the pieces to lift all students toward great success. “I would not have come here if I didn’t feel we could achieve some great things,” he says. “The college is already great and…we can continue to move that needle.” MiraCosta has the team, the resources, and the compassion to become even better, concludes Dr. Johnson.
