Lawrence Johnson
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

After a 1989 motorcycle accident left him paralyzed from the waist down, Johnson wallowed in frustration and anger, feeling sorry for himself and taking it out on those around him. He quit his job as a missile technician at the Navy’s Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, and his wife left him.

“For three years, I basically watched TV, watched people go up and down the neighborhood and felt sorry for myself. And then one day, it just hit me,” said the 44-year-old Ventura resident. “I said, ‘I’ve had enough of this. What am I doing with my life?’ ”

Johnson had only a high school education, having graduated near the bottom of his class. Overcoming his embarrassment at people seeing him in a wheelchair, Johnson first entered Ventura Community College, earning an associate degree in liberal arts. He then enrolled at CSUN’s Ventura campus, which moved to Camarillo last fall.

Johnson successfully ran for president of Associated Students organization of the CSUN at Channel Islands campus, a post to which he has been re-elected for the 2000-2001 school year. He also was selected as Channel Islands’ Student of the Year, and became one of only five Cal State students statewide selected to receive a CSU Trustees scholarship.

Johnson graduated summa cum laude with a 4.0 grade point average in spring 2000 and plans to continue at CSUN while he earns a masters of science degree in college counseling and student services.

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