Philip came to Finlandia after his wife Renee accepted a position at the university. He said he came because his wife wanted to and he decided he wanted to stay with his wife.
Being around the culture of the people in poorer nations taught Johnson how to be a better human being. He says it is a whole new experience to live amongst the culture of people who are not as well off as those in the U.S.
Top flag: Ethiopia
Bottom flag: Kenya
Just point out the cities of Addis Ababa and Nairobi
In addition to the degrees Johnson already obtained, he continues his education by attending three conferences per year. Each conference is annual and he meets with leaders similar to himself, such as leaders of Lutheran universities.
Johnson believes that everything is built upon relationships, so it’s important to network and keep good relations. This can be done through hard work and communication with others. Clear vision gives the organization something to work towards. His time in Africa helped him realize what it means to empower others and why it’s important.
Legitimate – he applied for and was offered the position as president of FU
Reward – has the power to reward students/staff for a job well done, or offer an education to students in exchange for their time, tuition, and effort
Expert – has gained knowledge through experience on leadership and relating to others
Johnson says his most important decisions at Finlandia have to do with where to place resources and when. An example is how to use available funds, or which project should be funded first. He tries to do a lot of fundraising and some funds come through donors. He has to decide who to hire and which ideas for expansion or additional programs will best help FU.
Since Finlandia has a history of Finnish and Lutheran heritage, Johnson believes it’s important to continue those legacies at the university.
Johnson says Finlandia thrives because of it’s unique location in the Upper Peninsula where the community is involved.
The Heritage Center is an example of how Finnish culture thrives in the community.
This video highlights the passion that President Johnson has for helping Finlandia University and its students grow and succeed.
The bullets above are President Johnson’s response to the question “What is your advice to students pursuing leadership?”
In order to help Finlandia grow, the priority is to increase enrollment. This is done through marketing campaigns and the addition of new athletic programs, such as football, cross country, and tennis. Johnson’s goal is to maintain the quality of the university while trying to increase student numbers. He says the staff are probably sick of him pushing Plan 2021 but he needs to keep the vision alive. Expanding facilities will be necessary if enrollment increases, especially in the dorms.
President Ronald Reagan was the son of Nelle and John Reagan.
Reagan was married twice in his lifetime, his first marriage was to Jane Wyman, and then former First Lady Nancy Davis (Reagan).
Reagan had a total of four children, two with each marriage. Maureen and Michael from his first marriage to Jane Wyman. Then another two children with Nancy Davis, Patti Davis, and Ron Reagan.
Reagan served in active duty following the attacks of Peal Harbor in 1941. Reagan served as a member of the U.S. Army Cavalry Reserve, and he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.
President Reagan graduated from Eureka College in June 1932 with a B.A. degree in Economics and sociology.
Reagan appeared in may films including Kings Row, Brother Rat, Hellcats of the Navy, and Bedtime for Bonzo.
Ronald Reagan wasn’t involved in major films. He did work steadily and achieved a series of small successful playing in led roles in B movies, and minor parts in more major films
Ronald Reagan then appeared in a semi-successful film after the war The Hasty Heart in 1949.
Reagan led through communication by becoming a global voice in a time when the globe needed one. His acting career had already made him famous and people were drawn to his charismatic nature. He was also able to relate to the normal person due to the communication skills he developed while working in the entertainment business.
Legitimate – the people elected him president, so he held a legitimate claim to power
Reward/Coercive – he has the power to assign rewards to those that deserve them (ex. Medal of Honor) or punish those who choose to break the laws
Expert – Reagan was knowledgeable in politics, economics, and sociology, and he also had a team of advisors
Referent – He was famous for his career in Hollywood and people enjoyed his charismatic nature
Reagan survived an assassination attempt shortly after being elected president. He recovered quickly and returned to work as soon as possible. This showed the U.S. the determination of their leader. Used his strong voice to be uplifting in a time of turmoil, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. People believed in his ability to achieve peace through strength, as he negotiated with other countries to find peaceful solutions to maintain positive international relations. Because he had previously identified as a Democrat before running for office as part of the GOP, he was able to understand the viewpoints of people on both sides of the political spectrum.
These quotes show Reagan’s ability to motivate others and handle conflict within peaceful means, because conflict will always exist. We just have to learn how to deal with it.
Reagan went from acting to politics when he ran for California governor.
The Reagan Foundation was created to focus on stem cell research to battle the Alzeheimer’s disease that Reagan suffered from.
Reagan has a very charismatic, charming “star” personality and he used it to pursue leadership on a high level. Johnson remained small and fell into a position of leadership for a small university.
Even though their title is the same, their positions were very different. Yet both leaders used their knowledge and personalities to lead to the best of their ability. Both leaders also highlighted the importance of crossing the bridge to build relationships to work towards the end goal.