TSU’s Gloria Johnson to Receive Award for Community Involvement

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) - Dr. Gloria Johnson, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, will be among those receiving awards Sunday, Dec. 6, when the Jefferson Street United Merchant Partnership honors six community leaders during the group’s 16th Annual Christmas Extravaganza.

Dr. Gloria Johnson

Johnson will receive “The Candlelight” award given to individuals who have shown leadership in the African-American community. According to a JUMP release, Johnson was chosen for active community involvement and service for more than 40 years in Nashville.

"The Candlelight award is an attempt to show appreciation to those individuals who have shown leadership in the African-American community," said Sharon Hurt, president/CEO of JUMP and at-large member of the Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County Council.  "It is a small award in comparison to the value of the service that Dr. Gloria C. Johnson has provided to the Nashville community for so many years.”

Johnson, a Nashville native and 1970 graduate of Tennessee State University, has been a faculty and administrator at TSU for more than 44 years. Before becoming dean she served in various capacities including professor, associate dean, department chair, student adviser, and coordinator of pre-college programs such as Upward Bound, INROADS Nashville, and the Delta Academy. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

“I am extremely honored to be recognized by JUMP,” Johnson said.  “As a person who grew up near the university, I have seen many changes on Jefferson Street and in the entire North Nashville community.  I am very pleased that JUMP exists and emphasizes the need to support businesses in the community.”

JUMP is a local Nashville community partnership created to advocate for community, economic and workforce development of the Jefferson Street Corridor. The annual Christmas Extravaganza will be held at 15th Avenue Baptist Church, 6 – 7:30 p.m.