Public invited to attend inauguration of 17th president of College Of the Ozarks
For the first time in decades, the College of the Ozarks is planning an inauguration ceremony for a new president.
The private, faith-based campus in Point Lookout, south of Branson, will officially install Brad Johnson as the college's 17th president on Oct. 13.
The public is invited to attend but with limited seating, registration is requested.
Johnson, who previously worked at Southwest Baptist University, has succeeded Jerry Davis, who served as president of the College of the Ozarks for 34 years.
Davis, now the chancellor, will help present the presidential medallion. The College of the Ozarks Choir will perform the national anthem and a special song titled, “The Majesty and Glory of Your Name.”
“Laura and I are grateful to God for this wonderful opportunity and are delighted to join the C of O family and roll up our sleeves at Hard Work U.,” Johnson said in a news release.
“We fell in love with College of the Ozarks from our very first visit. The college and community have welcomed our entire family with open arms, and we look forward to building upon the strong foundation laid by the leaders who have gone before us. We are deeply committed to the values and mission that have made the college what it is today. Great days are ahead as we continue to develop citizens of Christlike character who are well-educated, hardworking, and patriotic.”
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Delegates from around the U.S. have been invited to attend the ceremony.
Georgia activist Alveda King, the niece of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as former Attorney General John Ashcroft, will give greetings during the ceremony.
The event is free and the public can register to attend at www.cofo.edu/pbjPUBLIC.
Last spring, the college's Board of Trustees picked Johnson as its next president. He started June 1.
Johnson was vice president for institutional advancement at SBU from 2012 to 2022. He also served as the interim president.
Brad Johnson and his wife, Laura Lacey Johnson, have two children, Evan and Elle.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: 'Hard Work U' will inaugurate its first new president in decades
