Dr. Ron Johnson, a retired U.S. Army major general and currently chief of staff and senior vice president for strategic initiatives at Georgia Institute of Technology, was honored as the BEYA Engineer of the Year at the 39th annual BEYA STEM Conference.
In his acceptance speech at the BEYA Gala held in the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday, February 15, Johnson thanked his predecessor, Dr. Ken Washington, for his Passing the Torch remarks.
He also thanked Dr. Ángel Cabrera, president of the Georgia Institute of Technology, for presenting the award in person. Below are excerpts from the award winner's speech.
It's an extraordinary honor to stand before you tonight, surrounded by so many remarkable individuals shaping the future of STEM. I'm deeply humbled to accept the BEYA Engineer of the Year Award. This recognition reflects my journey and the people, opportunities, and challenges that made it possible.
Growing up in a single-parent home on the west side of Chicago, the odds were stacked against me. Like many kids in my neighborhood, I didn't have a father or role model who looked like me to guide my way. That's my background.
Johnson's career story began to change in the junior ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) program, where a retired warrant officer, old, gruff, tough as nails, looked at him and saw something he hadn't seen in himself.
"He dared me to apply to West Point. Not encourage. Dared! That dare became the fork in the road that shaped my future. I chose the path less traveled with my background. That journey led me to a 32-year career as a soldier, which included the greatest leadership challenge of my life: an 18.4 billion reconstruction effort during Operation Iraqi Freedom. I also became an executive in the NBA (National Basketball Association).
I'm now an educator and leader at Georgia Tech. Each chapter of my life has imparted valuable lessons about perseverance, mentorship, and the importance of daring to dream beyond one's circumstances. The journey wasn't easy.
During tough times, my mom was a constant source of love. My grandparents offered me a solid foundation, a home with the safety and security I needed. When my grandfather passed away, life became even more challenging. We relied on welfare. Still, love and resilience provided me with strength.
"That retired warrant officer didn't just dare me to go to West Point. He helped me see what was possible. And that's what I've tried to do ever since: help others see what's possible. Tonight, I want to thank the people who made this journey possible.
- To my mom and grandparents, who are here in spirit. Thank you for your unconditional love and for being my bedrock during tough times.
- To that crusty, mean warrant officer, who is also here in spirit and who challenged me to dream bigger, your dare changed my life.
- To my sons, your unconditional love for your dad fuels me and causes me to strive to do my best every day.
- To my colleagues, the staff, faculty, and students at Georgia Tech, you inspire me to continue pushing boundaries daily.
- To my military and civilian battle buddies, including those old West Point graduates from the class of 1976 who served alongside me in the world's greatest military, thank you for the honor of leading and following you.
"Reflecting on this honor, I can't help but think about the future of our STEM workforce, the challenges we face as a nation, and the opportunities we must create for the next generation of engineers and problem solvers.
The statistics are alarming. Globally, the demand for STEM professionals will continue to increase. However, the pipeline to fulfill that demand leaks talent at every stage.
I want to draw attention to a growing crisis in higher education concerning attrition rates in STEM majors.
While STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields are central to the innovation and future of our economy, we are losing far too many promising students along the way.
National data indicates that nearly 50% of students who begin college and STEM majors either transfer to non-STEM fields or drop out within four to five years of starting. Among minority students, the attrition rate is even more pronounced, nearing 60%, which underscores a systemic inequity that we must confront.
The challenges faced by these students are complex. Research shows that the average GPA for STEM students is 2.8 compared to 3.1 for non-STEM peers. This initial gap often discourages students, including those with the potential to excel.
Moreover, only 20% of STEM first-year students feel adequately prepared for their coursework, which leads to a significant learning curve. Attrition is not just an academic issue. It's also an economic one.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projected that 2031 STEM occupations will grow by 10.8%, leading to over one million new jobs. However, if the current trends continue, we will not have enough graduates to meet this demand.
This talent gap threatens our ability to stay competitive on the global stage and, as a result, affects our national security.
So what can we do? Studies show that students with access to effective mentoring programs and undergraduate research opportunities are 25% more likely to stay in STEM fields.
Institutions prioritizing early intervention, tutoring, and academic support, now called wraparound services, also see significant improvement in retention rates. This is why BEYA is essential.
Addressing STEM attrition is about ensuring that talented and capable students are supported and equipped to reach their full potential to tackle humanity's most significant challenges:
- Alternative energy
- Healthcare
- Cybersecurity
- Space exploration
These solutions demand the collaboration of diverse minds. So, let's keep collaborating to break down those barriers. Let's create pathways to ensure that our brightest minds remain where they truly belong in STEM.
At this moment, we're losing too many of these bright minds, mainly Black and Hispanic students, women, and young people like the kid I once was from Chicago's west side. We're leaving untapped cures, technologies, and lost progress.
Addressing the STEM workforce pipeline isn't just a good idea. It is vital for innovation, global competitiveness, national security, and our shared future.
This is a problem we can solve. It's going to take all of us. It encompasses mentorship programs that ignite a spark in young girls, first-generation college students, or a Ron Johnson from Chicago's west side.
It includes internships that create opportunities and workplace cultures that value everyone, teachers who inspire curiosity, and leaders who forge pathways, ensuring no one is left behind. Let's look past the politicization of DEI programs currently in view.
Becoming Everything You Are
BEYA's mission is to ignite a mission for STEM by motivating individuals to uncover their potential, recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds, and celebrating the achievements that foster innovation and progress.
We are dedicated to providing opportunities and creating pathways that empower aspiring minds to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, unlocking possibilities for a brighter future and securing our nation.
I'm talking about how we can focus on outcomes, find talent, and inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM. We all have a role to play; whether you are a parent, a mentor, an educator, or a business leader, you can make a difference.
Sometimes, it's as easy as encouraging someone like me to dream bigger. So, tonight, I want to leave with a challenge.
As you leave here, think about one thing you can do to help a student like me realize their potential in the STEM field. It could be encouraging a person to dream big. It's opening the door to someone who needs a chance or inspiring a young student from the west side of Chicago to aspire to attend West Point, Morgan State, Howard, Georgia Tech, Spelman, or N.C. A&T or any other school you can think of.
"Whatever it is, take that step forward. The future of innovation is being built today, and we need all of you involved. You go to BEYA because it's the place where you can realize for the first time that you can become everything that you are."