Nicole J. Johnson, vice president for student life at Rhodes College, has been selected as the recipient of the Dr. V. Carole Smith Diversity Award, presented by the Black Faculty and Staff Organization of Arkansas Tech University. Johnson will be honored at a ceremony on March 7, where she will also deliver the organization’s Distinctive Voice Lecture.
The Dr. V. Carole Smith Diversity Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to scholarship, service, and education, particularly in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Johnson, an alumna of Arkansas Tech University, earned a master’s degree in college student personnel and holds a bachelor’s degree in African American world studies from The University of Iowa. She is currently a Ph.D. candidate in higher education at Virginia Tech.
Johnson joined Rhodes College in 2023. Before her tenure at Rhodes, she served in multiple leadership roles at Goucher College, including associate vice president for student affairs & dean of students. Johnson is also actively involved in the American College Personnel Association, where she is a trustee of the ACPA Foundation board.