JANS – Guyna G. Johnson, Jackson State University alumnus, accomplished executive, and community advocate, has been awarded the nonpartisan President Joseph R. Biden Lifetime Achievement Award for her exceptional volunteer service. Johnson, head of the Global Mutual Funds Group at S&P Global Ratings and current board chair, Jackson State University (JSU) Development Foundation, has spent over two decades driving both professional excellence and community empowerment.
This award reflects her ability to align her professional leadership with a lifelong commitment to creating a more harmonious society and inspiring others to contribute to the betterment of their communities.
“I am deeply honored to receive an award which recognizes the power of service to others and honors its profound impact within our communities. I am grateful to serve as an ambassador to foster partnerships with corporate entities which are aligned with the JSU and the Foundation’s missions to create invaluable opportunities for the next generation of leaders.”
A graduate of Jackson State University (B.S., Mathematics, cum laude) and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D.), Johnson has leveraged her global relationships to foster myriad partnerships between corporate entities and JSU which has led to increases in the endowments, scholarships, career services, internships, and valuable data for academic research.
“I am grateful to collaborate with the talented board’s current directors. We are committed to our trajectory of elevating JSU for its long-term sustainability while also providing its most valuable assets – the students – with critical opportunities which advance their education, careers, and social mobility.”
Her passion for volunteerism actively extends to numerous nonprofit organizations where her philanthropic passions are aligned with empowering underserved communities, especially women and children. She has consistently championed financial education and sound fiscal management as fundamental tools for upward mobility.
Johnson, a native of Clarksdale, MS, and daughter of Jacksonians, Dorothy Madlock Johnson ‘65 and Walter L. Johnson ‘68, attributes her servant’s heart to her parents who believed, “to whom much is given, much is required.” Public service is an essential part of her DNA as Johnson is a legacy and member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
“Jackson State served as an extremely strong beacon of light which nurtured, uplifted, and propelled me during the most formidable years of my life. The unwavering dedication of my time and expertise is simply my way of similarly illuminating transformative pathways for our students. Hopefully, in the process, my actions will motivate others to comparable, rewarding actions.”
