Balancing Sports, Academics and Community: How Cooper Johnston is thriving at Jackson College
Cooper Johnston is a local kid. Born and raised in this tight-knit community, he graduated from Western High School in Parma, Mich. For Cooper, choosing Jackson College was an easy decision for a multitude of reasons.
“It was the opportunities here compared to a lot of other community colleges,” he said. “I, for one, wanted to get a head start at a better price than going to a normal university. Here you get the combination of a real college feel and that university feel. Where at another college you don’t really see that amount of energy and effort they put into all of their students here.”
Cooper is a man of many hats at Jackson College. He’s a dual-sport athlete, playing golf and basketball, while also serving as a writing fellow. He wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I like staying busy,” he said. “I’ve always really enjoyed sports. Having the opportunity to continue to play these sports and give me something to do. It also opens up other opportunities for further education and it allows you to continue to grow as a person.”
His writing fellow role has been equally rewarding.
“We were looking to give back to the community and do a lot of things to really better the campus and the people around campus,” he said. “I thought that was a great opportunity for me to grow as a person but to also give back because a lot of people have put a lot of effort into me.”
He credits Maher Endowed Chair for Regional History and Associate Professor Diana Agy for helping him have a good experience at Jackson College.
“Diana is one of the most student-driven teachers I have ever met,” he said. “All she cares about is creating as many opportunities for the students as humanly possible. There’s so many opportunities that have opened up for me.”
With so many responsibilities, Cooper has learned the art of time management.
“You got to really understand what’s on the top of your chart and what’s at the bottom and so you got to prioritize the important,” Johnston said. “I try my best not to get stressed out about anything. I have a plan that I trust. Being stressed doesn’t help anything. I keep pushing forward and looking at the next objective.”
Cooper is studying liberal arts with plans to transfer to Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to pursue a double major in accounting and finance.
“I recommend Jackson College because of the endless amounts of opportunities and the great faculty that continue to put all of their efforts into the students here,” he said.
