(Photos are of Jennifer at her campus visit in February 2007 and of her KTI yearbook photos) |
When Jennifer Johnson graduated from Southeast of Saline High School in Leave it to a bit of parental wisdom to send her on her way. "My mom said 'you know, there's a place where you can take some computer That place was Kansas Technical Institute - one of the forerunners to K-State at Salina. While working two nights a week as a data entry clerk at the hospital, Johnson earned her associate's degree in data processing systems. Johnson has since earned both a bachelor's and master's degree, but says without the education she received at KTI she wouldn't be where she is today. "My associate's degree gave me a good foundation in math, logic and programming, as well as accounting and some basic business and management classes," Johnson said. Today, Johnson is Sunflower Bank's executive vice president and chief information officer. Due to her success, she's also been named K-State at Salina's 2007 Alumni Fellow. "Jennifer is a prime example of the heights our graduates can reach," said Dennis Kuhlman, dean of K-State at Salina. "She and her KTI peers set the bar high for today's students." Johnson returned to campus the last full week of February to celebrate her status as Alumni Fellow. She visited with students and faculty about how her education helped to prepare her for the challenges she faces in her present-day job. Since the 1980s, a lot has changed in the world of technology. But, Johnson said, the basics she learned at KTI gave her the flexibility to deal with those changes. "The logic of programming doesn't change, the syntax changes," she said. And the most valuable thing she learned wasn't a classroom lesson. "I learned how to take on challenges, see things differently, and complete projects; all skills that have served me well through my career," she said. Those skills are what enabled Johnson to become an integral part of Sunflower Bank's expansion from a one market bank worth $100 million, to a $1.3 billion regional bank now in 17 markets in Kansas and Colorado. Johnson rests assured that K-State at Salina's students are receiving the same solid educational foundation she did while at KTI. Plus, the K-State name has added value, she said. "By becoming one of the colleges in the Kansas State University system, KTI demonstrated its value. K-State at Salina has continued that legacy of quality education," Johnson said. "I am proud to be an alumna of Kansas State University, and am honored that KTI was the foundation." Johnson was recognized along with Kansas State's nine other alumni fellows during the last full week of February. Kansas State University developed the Alumni Fellow program to honor notable graduates of each of K-State's nine colleges. |
