Stephanie Johnson ’21
When at Hanover, you will always find Stephanie Johnson ’21 outside.
“Our campus is so beautiful, and there is always something new to discover. I love hammocking, hiking, and doing yoga in my free time. Those are my favorite ways to stay busy when I have the time.”
From English, Ind., Johnson studied English and philosophy as a student. Finding Hanover just felt right to her: “I always trust my intuition, and something about my visit to Hanover versus other colleges was so different. The community was so close-knit and welcoming… It felt free enough to be a fresh start but also resembled the environment I grew up in. It was familiar and wide open all at once.”
Johnson developed a strong community of friends that helped her stay focused and loved during her four years as a student. She says, “I have built lifelong relationships here and am so grateful for my community. I know I have a group of people who love and respect me and who I love and respect right back… Professor Kate Johnson is an incredible human and despite only meeting her my junior year, she has transformed the way I see and interact with the world and also has given me new, educated ways to discuss the things I value.”
Her academic experiences have also been fruitful.
First, Johnson studied abroad in Northern Ireland for the fall of 2019: “[It] was one of the boldest moves I made at Hanover and one that made me confident in my capabilities. Moving to a different country with no one I knew was a shock to my system and allowed me to learn how to establish roots in a new environment. I am so grateful for the relationships I built while there and also the resilience and eagerness to experience the world I returned with.”
Then, during the summer of 2020, she interned at Nightfall Farm, owned and operated by Hanover College alum Nate ’06 and Liz ’09 Brownlee. She says of the experience: “[My] academic internship at Nightfall Farm during the pandemic has shaped the way I view farming. Growing up in a farming family, this internship was a blend of the life I grew up with and the life I created through my studies at Hanover. I scripted podcasts for the Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition, kept a blog, and worked on the farm throughout the summer. Having an internship in nature was so critical at this time and helped me feel free in a time of restriction.”
As she heads off into life after college, Johnson muses, “I am most excited to spend time doing the things that feed my soul that I have put on the backburner while prioritizing school… Hanover has transformed me in the best possible way. Even when things are hard and not ideal, this campus community remains strong, and I am so lucky to have had this experience.”
