The Prairie Landscape

The Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award - 2006


James K. Johnson

Nominated By The Honorable John Inyart


Charleston


James K. Johnson

James K. Johnson, Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at Eastern Illinois University (EIU), has made many substantive contributions to Charleston, surrounding Coles County, and the state of Illinois both in his capacity as Dean and beyond. As Dean, Mr. Johnson has bolstered the cultural life of Charleston via his community-conscious arts programming efforts. He helped to found the Embarras Valley Film Festival, a growing interdisciplinary event that links Coles County to its cultural heritage in the film industry, and he continues to offer his steady leadership and guidance and acts as the University's liaison for the event. He was also a founding member of Foundations in Art: Theory and Education (FATE), a national organization that supports art foundation instruction, and helped start the Illinois Higher Education Art Association. Mr. Johnson also gives a good portion of his time to the preservation of historically important landmarks in Coles County. For the past ten years, he has served on the board of Sargent Farm and gained significant funding for its preservation and programming. Mr. Johnson sacrifices what little personal time he has to demonstrate his support of the many EIU and cultural events in the community by attending and actively participating. "Members of Eastern's and Charleston's communities know of Jim's accomplishments and efforts not because he is flashy," says Mayor John Inyart, "but because so many have benefited from his kindness, support, and generosity."

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