Honored Alumnus Katherine Johnson: “I know how hard it was for me, so it’s nice to be able to offer someone a lifeline.”

One of nine children growing up, Katherine Johnson (Business Administration, ’81, Concentration in Accounting) had to support herself through college — working 40 hours a week her senior year — which limited her social activities.

Despite the busy schedule, she did graduate from Cal Poly and had a succesful career as an accounting executive. A longtime volunteer of youth causes, she decided to create a scholarship endowment with her husband, Eric, to assist a Cal Poly accounting student financial needs.

“I know how hard it was for me,” she says in this video. “So it’s nice to offer someone a lifeline.”

Hear more about her story and decision to give in this video, created to recognize Johnson, the 2022 Honored Alumnus from the Orfalea College of Business. Johnson was also featured in this story, which includes reaction from scholarship recipient Celina Bernal.

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