Dr. Galen Johnson has been a college educator for three decades, ranging from community colleges in North Carolina and Texas to large research universities like Clemson and Arizona. A native of Wilkes County, North Carolina, and a graduate of West Wilkes High School, he considers teaching at Appalachian like coming home. His degrees are from Wake Forest University (BA), Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv), and Baylor University (PhD). He is a published expert on early modern Britain but brings an interdisciplinary approach to the classroom that employs multiple fields of interest to explore life's meaning. These include history, philosophy, religion, literature,and the arts.
Dr. Johnson is an avid traveler to national parks and historical locations, and he has lots of stories to tell from the times he worked in college and professional sports, but above all he considers himself fortunate to be alongside his students in pursuing their future with purpose. When he has a free moment, you might find him listening to the music of Elvis Presley or watching Star Trek reruns. He is especially proud of his daughter Caroline, who is studying computer science at another UNC system school.