Johnson University is excited to announce that Ronni Chandler has joined the university staff in a part-time role as Lead Persistence Coach and Recruitment Coordinator for the Master of Arts in Ethics and Leadership.

Chandler, who recently retired as the Executive Director of Project GRAD in Knoxville, will coach the current students in the Master of Arts in Ethics and Leadership program (MAEL), an innovative graduate program that equips students to become effective Christian leaders in public contexts. The interdisciplinary program combines instruction in theological and biblical foundations, critical analysis of modern culture, and the development of service and leadership practices. Johnson offers the MAEL through the Knoxville Fellows program and the Knoxville Thriving Congregations Initiative. Chandler’s work will also include recruiting new students for these programs.

“This program seeks to develop leaders professionally, ethically, and personally to serve the city of Knoxville,” said Mark Weedman, director of the MAEL and Associate Dean for Experiential and Graduate Education at Johnson. “The program’s success lies in collaboration, including collaboration between faculty and students, between students and students, and now between students and Ronni Chandler. An honored Johnson University alumna, Mrs. Chandler is one of most respected educators in Knoxville, and her addition to the MAEL program as coach adds a unique layer of collaboration and personal formation to a program that already has no equivalent in Knoxville’s educational environment.”

“Ronni has been an important contributor to the mission of Johnson University for several years as a member of our Greater Knoxville Advisory Board,” said Tommy Smith, president of Johnson University. “Her insight and advice on how to serve students well have been invaluable. We are excited to have her on the team in this new role on our campus and in the Knoxville community.”