Joseph A. Johnston

Joseph A. Johnston, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri, where he is also director of the university career center. His bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees ar all from the University of Michigan. He regularly teachers courses in career development and is codirector of the Center for Research in Career Psychology. He is a founder of the Wakonse Foundation, an organization helping to elevate and improve college teaching. His memberships include the American Association for Counseling and Development, American College Personnel Association, and National Career Development Association.

He initiated the A Way With Words literacy program, the A Way With Numbers tutoring program, and the Jumpstart program at the University of Missouri in response to the America Reads Challenge. He has published in numerous professional journals, organized workshops, and presented at professional meetings nationally and internationally. He has served on the Editorial Boards of several professional journals. He has a strong commitment to career theory and practice, leadership, self-directed learning, faculty development, entrepreneurship, and positive psychology.

His awards and achievements include the following: Research Award in Career Development Scholarship named in his honor, February 2000; Excellence in Education Award, May 1996, Division of Student Affairs, University of Missouri; Certificate of Recognition of Service, April 2002, Kiwanis Club of Columbia, Missouri; Distinguished Membership, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, September 2002; Sam M. Walton Free Enterprise Fellow, 2005; Honorary Member of the National Residence Hall Honorary, 2005; Member, Board of Directors, Funding African Children’s Education, Inc. (FACE); Member, Planning Committee for MU Colleague Circles, 2000–2007; Faculty Advisors, MU Student Entrepreneurs, 2005–2006. He was awarded the Missouri Career Development Association’s Lifetime Career Achievement Award in 2013.