January 3, 2018 — John Carroll University has selected Michael D. Johnson, Ph.D., as the institution’s 25th president. Johnson will join John Carroll on July 1, 2018, with an appointment that runs through 2023. 

Johnson currently serves as provost of Babson College, the top-ranked school for entrepreneurship in the United States, where he is also professor of marketing. Prior to his role at Babson, he served for 10 years as dean, E.M. Statler Professor and professor of marketing at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration, a global leader in hospitality education. Johnson was a professor of marketing at the University of Michigan for 24 years, where he became the D. Maynard Phelps Professor, before joining Cornell University in 2006.  

“The passion that the students, faculty, staff and alumni have for John Carroll is inspiring, and I am grateful for the opportunity to lead this community,” Johnson said. “As one of 28 Jesuit colleges and universities in the country, John Carroll University is poised for growth with many distinctive programs and an exceptional faculty and staff.

“John Carroll University has a rich history in the Jesuit tradition of developing men and women for and with others; this community was built through the leadership of 24 Jesuits, and I hope to honor their legacy with my service to this great university,” Johnson said. 

Johnson earned a doctorate in behavioral science and marketing and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in economics and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“In my conversation with Dr. Johnson, I was deeply heartened to hear him say that as a committed Catholic, the opportunity to lead a Jesuit Catholic university will allow him to grow and deepen in his own faith, learn from our Jesuit tradition and serve the church and the world," said Jesuit Father Brian Paulson, provincial of the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus.  

Johnson will succeed Jeanne M. Colleran, Ph.D., who has been serving as interim president since June 2017, when president Jesuit Father Robert L. Niehoff retired.  

Born in Bottineau, North Dakota, Johnson grew up in Madison, Wisconsin. He is married to Jill Kobus Johnson; they have three adult sons: Alexander, Andrew and Thomas.  

For more information on Dr. Johnson, and to view his welcome video, visit presidentialsearch.jcu.edu. [Source: John Carroll University]