Remembering Susan Whealler Johnston ’75

The Rollins community is deeply saddened by the passing of the chair of the College’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Susan Whealler Johnston ’75. She was first elected to the board in 2009 and served in various leadership roles before becoming chair in 2019.

Dr. Johnston brought exceptional knowledge and expertise in higher education to her work as a trustee. A former member of the faculty and dean at Rockford College, she became recognized as a leading authority in higher education governance through her work as executive vice president of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB). In that capacity, she led AGB’s semi-annual institutes for board chairs and presidents, imparting the principles and best practices of governance and influencing boards and institutions across the nation. In 2018, she was named president and CEO of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO).

Rollins president Grant Cornwell spoke of their long association: “Susan was an astute and experienced leader, admired for her clear thinking, her quiet courage, and her warm heart. In a time that was extraordinarily difficult for her, she acted with her usual poise and attentiveness to her commitments. She was a role model for so many, including myself: grace, wisdom, professionalism, and humanity, fully embodied.”

Rollins mourns the loss of one of our most esteemed alumni.