After nine years at Samford, beloved and respected colleague Margaret Johnson retired on May 31. Arriving in 2013, she was hired as an associate professor and the chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the School of Health Professions. Johnson retired as a full professor and chair of the same department.
“I have loved being a member of the Samford community,” Johnson said. “I have learned so much about what interprofessional teams can do for persons who are in need of health care and have tried to pass on that knowledge and skill to the students I have had the privilege of serving.”
Prior to coming into academia, Johnson served adult patients with primarily traumatic brain injury and stroke in acute care hospitals and rehabilitation centers. She has continued to practice clinically as she believes that attributes to her success in teaching students the science and art of speech language pathology. Over the years, she found a passion and a love for working with students and has enjoyed sharing her passion of the profession.
“I have used a quote with my students since I first came to Samford and I always use my fingers in quotation as I tell them, ‘when you prepare and are ready to serve others and you understand that they are far more important than you, you, as a health care provider can change the world.’ I truly believe that,” Johnson said.
In 2018, the Department of Communications Sciences and Disorders created a scholarship in her name. The scholarship was established to honor Johnson’s legacy of service while providing financial assistance to help the students she so dearly loves to serve.
This spring, Johnson was also honored as the inaugural recipient of the 1 Peter 4:10 Award. The School of Health Professions is guided by 1 Peter 4:10 which reads “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
“We’re told to love God and to love people, and Margaret does that better than anybody I’ve ever seen. So, for her to receive this award that exemplifies using her gifts to serve others, she’s the perfect recipient to receive the inaugural award,” said Alan Jung, School of Health Professions Dean and Professor.
Johnson said she will miss her colleagues and students the most from her time at Samford.
“They are amazing young people who care deeply about providing speech-language services to persons of all ages,” Johnson said.