“My objective was to give it my all and to always keep myself focused on what is good for the institution.”

 Kathryn Procope, Ed.D., Howard University Middle School’s Executive Director, says her relationship with Johns has been ongoing for more than 10 years.

“Trustee Johns was dedicated to ensuring that the middle school had everything necessary to provide our young people with the best possible education," Procope said. "She leveraged her connections and influence to secure exceptional resources for our students. With her extensive network, she tirelessly advocated for the school, contributing significantly to its remarkable success.”

Procope remembered a time when Johns arranged a special opportunity for students to engage with NASA astronauts.

“NASA astronauts went into space and, upon their return, brought back a flag that they had taken with them,” she said. “It hangs on our wall so that these young people have something that has actually been in space.”

During her tenure on the Howard University Board of Trustees, Johns also served as the founding chair of the Howard University Middle School’s Advisory Board.

 “Anytime a school is chartered in Washington, you must have a board of directors, and she was a highly active chair." Procope said. "What was remarkable about Trustee Johns is how she united board members from both the Howard community and the external community. She ensured that they collaborated effectively for the school's benefit while meeting all requirements set by the D.C. Charter School Board.”    

A Philanthropic Visionary

Since its inception in 2005, the Howard University School of Education has been a steadfast partner of the middle school.  Dawn Williams, Ph.D., dean of the School of Education, recalled the process of building the middle school to be STEM-focused. This took in-depth assessments to determine qualified faculty candidates. Johns helped by opening up her own network to search for qualified teachers too.   

“Her presence is felt throughout the broader business and commerce community in Washington, D.C., which has benefited our schools,” Williams said. “Whenever she’s around, people always seem to recognize her.”

A business leader and former civil servant, Johns was nominated by President Barack Obama and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the deputy administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2010 to 2013.

Johns initiatives resulted in the SBA lending more than $30 million to more than 60,000 small businesses — a record in SBA lending. Johns also chaired the president’s Interagency Task Force on Veterans’ Small Business Development. The task force was created by the SBA’s Council on Underserved Communities and developed “Start Young,” an SBA-U.S. Department of Labor initiative to provide entrepreneurial training to Job Corps students.   

 Johns has held senior positions in the telecommunications industry and retired as president of Verizon-Washington. She is a tireless advocate for leveraging corporate resources for greater community good and has received many business and civic awards. Johns has chaired several boards, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., Leadership Greater Washington, the Council for Court Excellence, and the DC Chamber of Commerce.    

“Her unwavering commitment to education, particularly in advancing opportunities and exposure for middle school students, is evident within the Howard University community and in her role as a servant leader on the Board of Trustees,” Williams said. “She has identified ways for the School of Education to partner with the middle school, ensuring a strong and productive relationship.”

Solidifying Howard's Next Generation

Not only has Johns made significant contributions to Howard University as a founding member of the Howard University Middle School’s Board of Directors, but she also draws on her connections within the Howard University community.

She speaks enthusiastically about her love for Howard University and all that The Mecca has done for the Johns family.

“My late Uncle Billy was a graduate of Howard’s College of Pharmacy,” Johns recalled. “He always wanted to attend Howard, and my grandfather, who started a small business when his sons were very young, was one of the first Black business owners to be bonded in Indiana. He made sure to send my uncle to Howard University.”

 Johns has served on several boards throughout her career. Due to her deep family ties to Howard and her 20-year telecommunications career in Washington, she described her time on the Howard University Board as a “gift.”

“I was not a neophyte in terms of being on a board," she said.  "Opportunities for contributing came to me along the way, and my objective was to give it my all and to always keep myself focused on what is good for the institution."

Once Howard University Middle School moves into the renovated Minor Building, the  school’s 300-student enrollment cap will expand. Williams expects The School of Education to have more collaborative opportunities.  

“While she may not be on the Trustee Board at Howard anymore, she has a deep love, care and concern about Howard University, and she has the same level of care and concern for the Middle School,” Procope said. “Her belief in what we are doing here is going to continue to be strong.”   

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About Trustee Marie C. Johns  

  Part of the Howard University Board of Trustees for 20 years, Marie C. Johns chairs the HU (Howard University) School of Divinity Board of Visitors and serves as interim chair of the College of Dentistry Board of Visitors. She is a 2013 recipient of an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (D.H.L.) from Howard University and earned two degrees; a bachelor of science and a masters of public administration from Indiana University. Johns is a founding member of the Indiana University Dean’s Council of the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs and in 2021, she was presented IU’s Distinguished Alumni Service Award.