Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) President Dr. Tom Johnson, ED.D., announced his retirement in an email sent to faculty and staff Jan. 6, according to Daniel McLemore, director of Marketing Communications.
“Chancellor (Brian) McCall has accepted my request to retire at the end of August. I can assure you that I intend to serve as your president with gusto and vigor until my last day in office,” Johnson assured. “Also, I will work diligently during the upcoming legislative session to seek more resources for our beautiful college on the Sabine.”
Prior to arriving at LCSO, Johnson served 20 years at the Houston Police Department and as assistant vice president of student affairs at Tyler Junior College. Johnson began his career as an officer in the Houston Police Department, where he served in a variety of patrol and administrative positions before retiring from a 20-year law enforcement career. In 2006,
Johnson began his tenure at Tyler Junior College and served in a variety of positions, including chair of the Public Safety Technology department and associate dean of the School of Applied Studies, before ascending to vice presidential status.
His academic career also includes teaching and administrative positions at Houston Community College and Sam Houston State University. At Sam Houston State University, Johnson managed the U.S. Border Intelligence Network Grant Program and taught undergraduate and graduate criminal justice courses.
He earned five college degrees, including two associate degrees, a bachelor of science in Criminology and Corrections and a master of science in Criminal Justice Management from Sam Houston State University, and a doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Texas Southern University.
Johnson was confirmed as president of LCSO in August 2018 by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System. He assumed the presidency at LSCO on Sept. 4, succeeding President Mike Shahan, who announced his retirement after more than 24 years at LSCO.
In his email to faculty and staff announcing his pending retirement, Johnson wrote that his time in the Texas/Louisiana border community “has been the greatest honor of my professional career.”
“Our college has grown exponentially in student enrollment, academic and workforce programs, added several buildings on campus, as well as two new educational sites in Lumberton and Livingston,” Johnson reminded, harkening back to his presidential installation when he stated, “Lamar State College Orange will be a place where hope meets opportunity and, together, we will transform lives. The majority of our students are first generation (like me) who just want a better life for themselves and their families. LSCO provides the educational pathway for that dream to become a reality.”
Johnson described LSCO as “an oasis” for those who seek a trade, craft, skill or take advantage of local low-cost, high quality academic courses that can transfer to a university.
“We are an open-door institution of higher education that focuses on our students and my friends, we do it well,” he noted.
In his farewell email, Johnson thanked the faculty for being so caring and kind toward students.
“You are sharing your expertise and knowledge so that the next generation can thrive and become good providers for their families,” he wrote. “To our wonderful administration and caring staff who work tirelessly 12 months a year providing critical assistance and finding innovative ways to tear down barriers for our students, I say thank you!”
Johnson, who will turn 63 in February, stated that, after 42 years of public service, it is time to turn the page on this chapter. The move is bittersweet as Johnson said he and his wife, Karen, will treasure the friendships made in the Orange community that will last a lifetime. The president said he looks forward to traveling and spending more time with family and wife, though, “since we are both relatively young and in good health.”
Johnson reflected on his time at LSCO, as well as the feats accomplished during his seven years at the helm, including the successful Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) decennial reaccreditation, as well as achieving most of the major goals set out in a 10-year Master Plan.
Under Johnson’s tenure as president, LSCO has grown with increasing enrollment and graduates. Since 2019, LSCO has introduced 17 new programs of study, including electromechanical technology, building construction technology, court reporting and massage therapy, among others.
Just within the past year, the college opened its new 55,000-square-foot Academic Building after demolishing an old bank building. It has eight advanced lab spaces, eight flexible classrooms, two computer labs, faculty and information technology offices, and multiple student commons areas.
In September 2023, the Electromechanical Technology Building was open.
Outside the home campus, LSCO opened satellite campuses in Lumberton in October and partnered with LSC-Port Arthur and Lamar Institute of Technology (LIT) to open a campus in Livingston in August.
In October 2021, LSCO opened the Gatemouth Plaza, in honor of the late Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. Added to the list of advancements under Johnson’s leadership, LSCO also started a bass fishing team that has shown national success and introduced Tilley, a gator mascot.
In his final months as president, Johnson will oversee completion of the LSCO Welcome Center, located in the old First Baptist Church building on Green Avenue.
“Lamar State College Orange expresses its deepest gratitude to President Tom Johnson for his extraordinary leadership since 2018,” the college announcement of Johnson’s retirement states. “During his tenure, the college experienced record enrollment growth, expanded academic and workforce programs, and added new educational sites in Lumberton and Livingston. His unwavering dedication to student success and commitment to providing life-changing opportunities for all students will leave a lasting legacy.”
As much as Johnson touched the city of Orange, Orange left a mark on Johnson, too, he said.
“As we all know, LSCO is a special place with a big heart that has earned a stellar reputation since its founding in 1969. So, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you for this incredible journey and I look forward to serving as your president over the remainder of the 2024/2025 academic year,” Johnson wrote to his colleagues, staff and friends. “I know that you will continue being such a loving and welcoming college uniquely situated on the banks of the Texas/Louisiana border.”
“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Johnson on his well-deserved retirement. His leadership and dedication to Lamar State College Orange have left a lasting impact. Under his guidance, the addition of new programs and the significant improvements to the facility have truly enhanced the college,” said Ida Schossow, president of the Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce. “He shaped the college in ways that will be felt in years to come. I appreciate the positive influence he has had on so many students and the community. I am wishing Dr. Johnson all the best in this exciting new chapter of life.”