The Rev. Thomas E. Johnson Jr. ’93 has been honored with the distinguished alumnus in mission award—and rightly so. Tom is head of school and co-founder of The Neighborhood Academy, a faith-based, independent, college-prep high school for Pittsburgh’s low-income youth. As a teacher and coach for 10 years at his alma mater, Shady Side Academy, Tom honed the skills and garnered the experience necessary to partner in the founding and building of both a pilot summer school and the later educational model which became The Neighborhood Academy.
An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, he has served as pastor to Allegheny United Church of Christ on the North Side and as associate pastor at East Liberty Presbyterian Church. He is currently serving as associate pastor at the Community of Reconciliation.
Tom relishes his journey through a vast array of experiences including: running a prison college program, teaching philosophy at the Community College of Allegheny County, tutoring in writing labs, serving as a ministry youth group leader, and most recently, teaching ethics and philosophy to tenth graders at The Neighborhood Academy.
As an advocate for educating the urban poor, Tom speaks to audiences across the region on issues affecting education and low-income youth. He has been honored through the Local Ministries program at the United Church of Christ’s General Synod in Atlanta, Ga., for his excellence in teaching. He is also a published author of articles on topics of moral education, coaching lacrosse, and student advisory programs.
Tom is a graduate of The College of Wooster and Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He holds an honorary doctorate from Bethany College.