Huskies Ask is a weekly column where we send questions to different Michigan Tech faculty and staff each week.
This week, we reached out to Dr. Dean Johnson, Dean of the College of Business!
(1) Where is your hometown and when did you come to Michigan Tech?
My hometown is Crandon, Wisconsin. I came to MTU in 1996.
(2) What is your favorite thing about Michigan Tech?
The caring people in our campus community and our alumni who have the highest affinity for their alma mater of any university that I have ever seen.
(3) What is something you wish students knew about you and your job?
I am a champion of the College of Business (COB) motto: Large enough to lead; small enough to care. Google my teaching awards to see for yourself. My passion is to see students use their education to lead successful lives and raise the next generation of Huskies! As Dean, my job is to create a supportive environment where students and faculty connect, receive a technology-differentiated business education, and be personally fulfilled and equipped to make a positive impact in the world.
(4) What would you tell students who are considering moving from their College into the College of Business?
Every person enters the business world. The value created from a tech-centered business degree is only becoming more important in today’s economy. Without a business education, your career is limited. Our programs are defined by experiential education (e.g., complete people’s tax returns, manage a $2 million real portfolio with full control, etc.) Experiential education is in the COB’s mission statement. From our minor in business to our undergraduate business degrees to our MBA, Master’s in Engineering Management, Master’s in Accounting, and Master in Applied Natural Resource Economics, we produce tech-savvy business graduates and business-savvy Tech graduates.
