Johnson named 2022 TRiO Hall of Fame Recipient at UAHT
HOPE/TEXARKANA, Ark. — Joshua Johnson of Hope, Arkansas, has been selected as the 2022 TRiO Student Support Services Hall of Fame Recipient at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana.
Bryan Smith, TRiO Student Support Services director, said the award goes to students who exceed standards and demonstrate academic success, community engagement and leadership.
“I don’t think (Johnson) has missed a single event on campus, whether it’s with TRiO or UAHT,” Smith said. “I call him ‘that guy’ because he’s our go-to guy when we need some stuff done. He’s a real leader for our students out here and he’s a great advocate for our program.”
TRiO Student Support Services is a federal grant program that is meant to help first-generation and low-income students succeed in college.
Johnson said he was honored to receive the recognition.
“I was really thrilled to be named as a hall of famer for TRiO,” he said. “As a first-year college student just trying to help everyone out on campus and be a helpful hand to everyone, it was an honor to be recognized because of that. It was just very thoughtful for me.”
Johnson is president-elect of the TRiO Student Success Club, a Student Ambassador, vice president of the Student Government Association, vice president of the UAHT Ironhorse Historian Organization, and a member of Campus Crusade for Christ.
He also holds an administrative assistant work-study position in the Administration Building, where he greets and assists visitors to the chancellor, vice chancellor for finance, and vice chancellor for academics.
Outside of school, Joshua volunteers in
the Adopt-A-Highway program, Meals on Wheels, and the TRiO SSS Free Little Library. He was also a featured speaker at the “Commemorating Our Hidden Past, Celebrating Our Empowered Future,” Black History Month program held at UAHT this year in honor of Hope native Dorothy McFadden Hoover, a mathematician and physicist portrayed in the movie “Hidden Figures.”
After graduating from UAHT, Joshua plans to attend a four-year university to major in education and work toward a master’s degree in instructional technology.
“As a first-time student, I can be indecisive about a lot of things. But when I first found out about TRiO, I quickly signed up as they kind of reeled me in with the things they offer,” Johnson said. “Throughout the year, they just really helped me grow and expand as a student, and I enjoyed representing them and UAHT.”