Sam Johnson

As a child growing up in Saginaw, Sam Johnson had virtually unlimited access to computer parts.

“My dad had an at-home computer repair business, so there were always computer parts lying around the house. It was like my own little computer playground. I’d get into those parts and build little things and ask my dad all kinds of questions. Eventually, I built my own computer in 6^th grade.”

As Sam’s computer proficiency grew, so did his love for education. In fact, Sam values education so much that he plans to pursue a Ph.D. in a computer discipline so he can teach at the college level. He graduated from SVSU in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in computer information systems with three minors — cybersecurity, finance and general business — and has begun working towards a master’s in computer science and information systems at the university.

Sam’s first experience with SVSU was through the Great Lakes Bay Early College Program while he was in high school. The program gave him a head start on college credits.

When it was time for college, Sam knew he would need to make smart choices and some sacrifices to minimize loans and keep his education affordable. So he lived at home his first year, worked, and aggressively pursued scholarships from SVSU and other sources. Among the support he received was SVSU’s Dean’s Scholarship, an academic merit award for students with a 3.75 GPA. This scholarship, along with other merit scholarships at SVSU, are supported by donor gifts to the General Scholarship Fund.

“It felt incredible to receive the Dean’s Scholarship. Being able to get my degree is a really big thing for me. The fact that people are willing to invest in me without even knowing me is amazing.”  

Because generous donors invested in Sam, he was able to invest in himself, embracing opportunities to sharpen his leadership skills, broaden his horizons and expand his perspective on the world.

As the parliamentary coordinator for SVSU’s Student Association, Sam represented SVSU during visits with state legislators in Lansing. And as a participant in SVSU’s Vitito Global Leadership Institute and Global Foundation Scholars, Sam became more culturally and globally aware through educational trips to New Orleans and Estonia.

“Scholarships allowed me to do so much more than I thought I could. Without them I don’t know that I would have had three minors and such a broad understanding of these different fields. I also don’t know that I’d have been able to participate in the Vitito Fellows program or have been involved in other campus activities. Instead, I would have been working more to pay my tuition.”  

Sam is still using the skills and knowledge that he gained from his work as an undergrad at SVSU. Interning with SVSU’s IT department and the VA’s health care system where he supported a multifaceted telecommunications system during his time as an undergrad, prepared Sam to begin working for the university’s IT department.

“SVSU is a great place to work, I’ve enjoyed the balance I’ve found here and I find a lot of purpose in what I do. The community has supported me and the opportunities I’ve had. I want to prove that I’m a good investment.”

Invest in students at svsu.edu/foundation/give