Forced as a child to watch his mother deal with drug addiction, Levino Johnson ‘16 dropped out of high school with just a ninth-grade education. Fearful at confronting these hardships, Levino found a level of grit and determination, propelling him to achieve more.
“I knew I wanted to do something more than what I was doing,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to go down the same route my mother did and I wanted to do better than my father.”
Johnson’s difficult upbringing in Buffalo, New York, didn’t quench the fire in his stomach for success, however. From ages 7 to 12, he cared for his six siblings. At just 16 years old, he earned his GED. A year later, he enlisted in the Army.
During his 12 years of service in the Army, Johnson devoted himself to both serving and education. He hired an academic tutor while earning his bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of his service, he had attained the rank of staff sergeant and the thirst to advance his career and his education. He fell in love with Colorado while stationed at Fort Carson, leading him and Min Kyoung, his wife, to settle in the state.
His wife pushed him to pursue additional education to advance his career, even walking hand in hand onto campus with Levino to seek information about UCCS.
“I was nervous,” Johnson said. “I knew UCCS was a pretty great school. I definitely doubted if I was the smartest cookie in the cookie jar in terms of competing.”
The School of Public Affairs faculty personally welcomed him, guiding him through paperwork, even giving Johnson a tour.
“I think that was the defining moment for me,” he said. “Dr. Edin Mujkic and Ms. Regina Winters were paramount to me working as hard as I did after being accepted into the program. They fostered an environment of openness which allowed me to dive deeper into my field of study.”
UCCS faculty became what Johnson loved about the university, inspiring him to earn his Master of Public Administration (MPA) while working a full-time job.
“In the military, you’re basically a public servant for the nation,” he said. “I learned at UCCS what it means to be a public servant.”
Johnson graduated with Pi Alpha Alpha honors and now works as a program analyst for the Office of the Inspector General within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Aurora, Colorado.
Johnson is currently pursuing a doctorate in public policy and hopes to continue his career in public service. He aspires to someday be named to a Presidential Cabinet position and hopes to be a role model for those growing up in difficult situations.
“Dig deep. You have to find that fire in your stomach. Use it to get out of that situation. Grab onto whatever you have there and pull yourself up.”