A transformative gift to Kansas State’s A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication is set to elevate opportunities for aspiring journalists and media professionals, announced this semester to be received through the following years.
The donation allocated a projected sum of up to $800,000 to a new scholarship fund in journalism, expanding hands-on learning initiatives and improving technology to prepare students for a rapidly evolving media landscape. Johnson intends to support faculty salaries through this donation while at the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication.
Throughout hardships and different school environments, Deron Johnson found his way to K-State in hopes of growing his journalism career.
“K-State was very much a happy accident for me; it was always a place I wanted to go but didn’t think I could until my transfer credits got cleared up,” the alumnus said. “When I transferred, I didn’t feel like I had skipped a beat. Sometimes you can go to a community college and then transfer to a four-year school, and it’s almost like a culture shock.”
Throughout Johnson’s time at K-State, he made his way up through The Collegian’s editorial board from the opinion editor to the editor-in-chief position. Johnson spent his time in the newsroom every day, leading K-State Collegian’s journalists and preparing him for his future career.
“We had the freedom to fail, we had the freedom to screw up and learn from our mistakes and that was a really big takeaway for me, so by the time I graduated from K-State, I wasn’t acting in a shadow role as a journalist, I felt like I was a journalist,” Johnson said.
Johnson said giving back to the university was a long time coming, giving back to the place he once called home.
“K-State is a really special place, you feel that when you’re a student, I certainly felt that as a student, but it resonates a lot more now, seeing how other institutions operate and their different values, different cultures, and you come to realize K-State really is this special place that is not like everywhere else,” Johnson said. “The opportunity to give back and support that and help perpetuate that feeling is really more meaningful to me now than it has ever been. I’m in a place now that I’ve been gone from K-State for 35 years, and where I can give back, support the program and university overall. It really is a privilege.”
Dr. Heather Woods, who serves as the director of the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication, said Johnson has made a noticeable impact on the Miller School through his industry knowledge and how much he cares about the future of the department.
“Deron is a true Friend of the Miller School. From supporting our current re-accreditation efforts to being an industry partner advising on AI and other emerging technologies, Deron has been invaluable in helping the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication prepare the future while honoring our past. This gift will be similarly transformational. We are grateful for his continued support, which will shape the future of the School for years to come.”
Through a legacy-making commitment, Johnson ensured there will be future donations to the A.Q. Miller School and the College of Veterinary Medicine in partnership with the KSU Foundation.
“My personal priority of giving back to my roots and what K-State gave to me. I really grew in my time at K-State, and my donation is structured in the way to align with my time there.”
