The Lincolnian

Issue date: 11/28/07 Section: News

Dr. Patricia Joseph remembers Dr. Terrance A. Johnson at vigil held at the Mary Dod Brown Chapel.

Students, faculty, and administrators gathered recently at the Mary Dod Brown Chapel to remember the life of Dr. Terrance A. Johnson, an associate professor of sociology and anthropology.

Dr. Johnson passed away earlier this month after a brief battle with an undisclosed illness.

At Lincoln, Dr. Johnson taught courses in Criminal Justice. He arrived on campus in 2001 and had a reputation for mentoring students and encouraging them to pursue internships and graduate school.

"I was the one that brought him to Lincoln for Criminal Justice," said Dr. Patricia A. Joseph, chair of the Sociology and Anthropology Department.

At the candlelight vigil, faculty, administrators, and students shared fond memories of Dr. Johnson, who worked for many years as a senior special investigator of the Office of Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation before coming to Lincoln.

Earlier this year, he was appointed as the Faculty Athletics Representative within Lincoln University's Division of Student Affairs. In this position, he represented the college before the NCAA.

"It wasn't about him. He wanted to see Lincoln do well," said Dr. William B. Bynum, Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. He worked closely with Dr. Johnson in his new role.

Nancy Kenner, director of the Academic Advising Center spoke of her experiences working with Dr. Johnson. She spoke of his diligence and his vision for his students.

"He was a dedicated man," said Kenner.

Dr. Judith Thomas, the dean of the School of Social Sciences and Behavior Studies struggled to push back tears as she fondly remembered her colleague.

"I am glad that I was able to meet him," Thomas said. "He touched me in a very special way."

At the end of the hour-long ceremony, students Samuel Jones and Whitney Jackson of the gospel choir sung the spiritual hymn, "Holy, Holy."

Dr. Valerie Tate Greene, who serves as University Chaplain, summoned those in attendance to gather in a circle where candles were lit in Dr. Johnson's memory.

Silence fell, tears were shed, and prayers were offered up for Dr. Johnson's family. But most of all, Lincoln coalesced to remember a man who touched many lives.

"There is a whole world of awesome people we don't get to meet and he was one of those people," said Bynum.

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