Seminary of the Southwest is pleased to announce that Counseling instructor Marlon Johnson graduated on Thursday, December 12, walking the stage as Dr. Marlon Johnson, having earned a Ph.D. degree in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Johnson successfully defended his doctoral dissertation thesis in early November.
“We celebrate with Dr. Marlon Johnson the conferral of his PhD in Counselor Education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville! Dr. Johnson has become a valued member of our faculty and we congratulate him on this important milestone,” said Dr. Gena Minnix, director of the Loise Henderson Wessendorff Center for Christian Ministry and Vocation and associate professor of Counselor Education.
Dr. Johnson’s dissertation is titled “Understanding the Experiences of Recruitment from African American Males within Master’s Level Counseling Programs: A Narrative Inquiry”. Upon receiving his degree, Dr. Johnson’s new rank and title at Southwest is assistant professor of Counselor Education.
“The faculty and staff of the seminary are delighted to celebrate Marlon’s accomplishment. Getting a Ph.D. these days is not only an academic challenge requiring stamina and perseverance but also, given the number of Ph.D. holders who are driving cabs, an act of courage and hope. We are so happy that Marlon had the fortitude to successfully complete this degree and that we had the good fortune to hire him for our faculty. His knowledge, insight, and sense of humor are a gift to our students,” said Dr. Scott Bader-Saye, academic dean.
Before completing his PhD, Johnson came to Southwest as a licensed professional counselor with a focus on narrative and child-centered play therapy techniques. Johnson serves as a doctoral fellow for the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) Minority Fellowship Program and as the Tennessee Counseling Association’s NBCC Liaison. His research centers on understanding the experiences of recruitment of African American men into counseling programs, the intersectionality of LGBTQ identity and faith orientation, continuing multicultural counselor education, and college and career readiness in rural Appalachia.
