Featured Tigers is a series wherein the spotlight shines on a few students, alumni, faculty and staff from our Crete, Lincoln and Omaha campus locations. These individuals stand out in the best way — as talented and driven leaders.
View all Featured Tigers here.
What is your name?
Joshua Johnson ’24L
What is your position title at Doane?
Executive Assistant to the CFO
How long have you worked at Doane? What attracted you to work here?
I've been at Doane since July 2019 and was first drawn to working at the university because I'm a passionate believer in education and wanted to contribute to that mission by joining the team at Doane. Not only do I get the opportunity to support that mission on a day-to-day basis by keeping track of various administrative matters for the university, but I've been fortunate enough to have other opportunities to help advance that mission at the university such as through advising our Catholic Newman Club, serving on the Staff Council, and also most recently by being given the opportunity to pen a staff column in the Doane OWL.
What do you consider the best part of your Doane experience?
This is a difficult question to answer because I've had so many incredible experiences since starting at Doane. But for me, some of the most rewarding experiences I've gotten to have since becoming a Doane Tiger have been had at the English Department's regular Xanadu Fireside events. There, I've had the opportunity to not only engage directly with our students and faculty, but I've also been able to grow as a person and help others to grow as well. Phil [Weitl] and Brad [Johnson] do an excellent job of creating an environment where our community can come together to discuss the essential things in life that go beyond any mere functionalism. For me, the relationships and discussions I've gotten to have around the campfire there have been some of my most memorable Doane experiences so far.
That said....I must also give special mention to meeting my future wife, Olivia McBeth ’24, ’24E, here as well. We met while having class together in the Fred Brown Center in 2023, and the rest, as they say, is history!
What is something you're proud of accomplishing or achieving while at Doane?
Since starting at Doane, I'm extremely proud to have seen my poetry published in no less than three publications, and I also published my first book while working here. I don't think any of those things would have happened without the aforementioned encouragement and support that I found in our English Department. Phil, Brad, and Jeremy [Caldwell] have consistently supported my writing endeavors, and I'm incredibly grateful for all their guidance and support along the way.
What's something you like about yourself that others may not know?
I'm a pretty open book, so there's little hidden about me. But it may surprise some folks to learn that in my free time, I choose to study a lot. If I'm not writing or crusading for a cause I care about, I can usually be found somewhere curled up with a good piece of theory or literature in my hands. I'm especially fond of studying history and, as many who know me know, I'll inevitably find a way to work it into conversation as well.
