JACKSON, Tenn. — July 17, 2025 — Union University has named Fred Johnson as dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1.
Johnson comes to Union from Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington, where he had served as an English professor since 2008. He previously served as an instructor and graduate assistant at Ball State University and as an instructor at Ivy Tech State College.
During his time at Whitworth, Johnson served as faculty president, chairman of the Department of English, chairman of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure Committee and as a member of the University Council, among other leadership roles. He created a new minor in film and visual narrative at Whitworth and played key roles in major departmental and university-wide curriculum revisions.
“Fred Johnson brings a wealth of experience from serving not only as an excellent and well-loved faculty member but also in key leadership roles at his previous institution,” Union Provost Jacob Shatzer said. “He combines vision, passion and a commitment to our mission that will enable him to both fit in well with our strong College of Arts and Sciences and propel them forward in the coming years.”
Johnson’s scholarship has explored traditional storytelling in print as well as through film, comics and other visual forms. He has written articles and poems for multiple academic publications, including “College Literature,” “Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology and Pedagogy,” “Orbit: A Journal of American Literature,” “North American Review” and “Sugar House Review.”
A 1996 graduate of Taylor University with majors in secondary education and English, Johnson completed both his Master of Arts and his Doctor of Philosophy in English from Ball State University.
He and his wife Molly, a veteran teacher who will be working for the South Gibson school system, have two teenage sons, Liam and Colin.