Back to School with Pat Johnson: From Academies Business Partner to School Counselor
The Academies of Louisville create a pathway for students from classroom to career. For Patrick (Pat) Johnson, his career path has brought him back to school. After serving as an Academies of Louisville Business Partner with Spectrum Communications, he answered his calling to return to education and begins this new year as Counselor for the Freshman Academy at the Academy @ Shawnee. With an office on the renovated third floor, Mr. Johnson is eager to welcome students and support them as they navigate this pivotal transition into high school.
Roots in Community and Family
Mr. Johnson inherited his passion for people from his family. Growing up in Chicago, his parents and his grandmother instilled in him the importance of community. He played football in college at Concordia University Wisconsin, studying business communications and education. After college, Mr. Johnson’s passion for education led him to a role as College Access Coordinator in Milwaukee, akin to a counselor in JCPS.
He loved his work, and he and his wife wanted to move their growing family outside of Wisconsin. After his grandmother passed away in 2015, he knew he couldn’t move back to Chicago, so a former teammate suggested he visit Louisville. After visiting during the Derby in 2016, he fell in love with the city, and he and his wife decided to make the move.
Academies Business Partner
Despite applying for numerous jobs with JCPS, opportunities in education were scarce, so he initially worked at Ivy Tech in Sellersburg. Wanting to work on this side of the bridge, he then transitioned to the role of Jobs One Programs Manager at Seed to Oak, allowing him to make a significant impact on the community. However, family obligations called him back to Wisconsin in 2019 to care for his ailing mother.
Returning to Louisville in the summer of 2021, Mr. Johnson ventured to the corporate world, working first at Shoe Sensation then later in HR at Spectrum Communications. At Spectrum, he recruited upcoming seniors for internships, giving him his first taste of the Academies of Louisville. Students accepted as Customer Services Representatives worked part-time their senior year of high school with a base pay of $18.50, with the promise of a debt-free college education if they continued employment into college.
Returning to His Calling
While his heart always remained with education, this work kindled the flame even brighter. He served as a guest speaker on topics like interviewing and resume building in Academies of Louisville schools, including Moore, Seneca, and Fern Creek. A chance encounter with Mrs. Hollie Smith, the Executive Principal at the Academy @ Shawnee, and a connection through Dr. Deshawn Burrell led to the opportunity he had been seeking–a position as a Freshman Counselor. “It’s a calling. I ran away from education, but now I’m back,” he reflects.
“It’s a calling. I ran away from education, but now I’m back.”
In his role at the Academy of Shawnee, Mr. Johnson is driven by a mission to provide students with exposure to the world beyond the classroom. He believes that education is an investment and is committed to offering students access and opportunities to prepare them for life after high school. “These kids are phenomenal. We just have to give them opportunities,” he says.
Mr. Johnson's journey from business partner to counselor exemplifies the Academies of Louisville's mission to bridge the gap between education and industry, promising a bright future for students at the Academy @ Shawnee.