Denny Johnston (’74 Poli. Sci.) grew up witnessing the power and importance of lifetime learning. His mother’s formal education was interrupted when her hometown was occupied by the forces of Nazi Germany. When she came to the U.S., Cornelia Terzetti-Johnston did not speak English, but taught herself this new language by watching movies and reading. She passed along her deep passion for reading and education to her son.
Denny went on to attend WSU and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in history and physical education, as well as his secondary teaching credential. After graduation, Denny worked for the State of Washington in the Department of Corrections and took particular pleasure in working with the Interstate Compact Unit, where peers across the United States became friends. He would go on to manage other offender programs before he retired in in 2009.
Denny continued to volunteer for various non-profit organizations, including serving as the president of the Olympia chapter of the Retired Public Employees Council and as an executive board member of the Washington State Senior Citizen’s Lobby. He also remained steadfast in his support of programs at WSU, including returning to campus to give presentations to the PPPA community. Denny passed away in 2021.
“Learning is a lifetime opportunity, and you can learn from anyone, anywhere.”
Denny Johnston
He believed that learning never stops and that formal and self-education are great equalizers. To help pass this philosophy on to future generations of students, he created the Denny Johnston & Cornelia Terzetti-Johnston endowed scholarship, which directly benefits students in the School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs.
This fall, seven outstanding students received Johnston/Terzetti-Johston scholarships: Ellen House, Cameron Lee, Patrick Wilson, Alex Hostetler, Evelyn Gomez, Nolan Carte, and Constance Green.
We are grateful to Denny and his partner Bonnie for their many contributions to WSU and PPPA over the years.