Deana Johnson received the honorary position as MATC State Ambassador through a trade assistance grant offered by the Office of Student Life. Johnson, a Criminal Justice program student, was chosen because of her leadership qualities she had developed from past life experiences and her stewardship and good grades she earned here at MATC.
Deana was formerly employed with Hostess for three years and worked in the sales industry for about 17 years. She decided to attend college after finding herself unemployed due to a mass layoff several years ago.
Johnson does not have the power to make major decisions regarding curriculum or student government at MATC; she participates in opportunities that the Office of Student Life has prepared for her. So far she took part in a retreat in Madison, WI, with other student ambassadors to talk about their programs. There Johnson was required to fill out a special survey to find out about her greatest strengths. The categories of her strengths were decided as restorative, strategic, responsibility, positivity and empathy. Johnson also spoke at the new student orientation event.
Johnson plans to graduate this December and doesn’t know where she’s headed as state ambassador this semester but is willing and ready to meet the challenges gracefully.
Her advice to other students reaching for their goals is the quote, “With every struggle there’s a way. Don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goals and dreams.”