Johnson

Stephen Philip Johnson, Cornell vice president for government and community relations, received the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Betty Colden Memorial Award Aug. 9 in Charleston, S.C.

The Colden award is given “in recognition of his significant, compassionate contributions and service to university governmental relations, including to the APLU’s Council on Government Affairs as exemplified by the late Betty Colden.”

In prepared remarks read at the event, Cornell President David Skorton said, “Steve has advocated for legislative action to help support the education, research, health care and public engagement mission of Cornell and others in higher education, and in doing so has had an enormously positive effect on us all.”

As part of the award, Johnson gave a speech to the Council on Government Affairs on “lessons learned.”

In March of this year, Johnson announced he will retire when his successor is identified, following 40 years of service to Cornell.