James Loy 

The views and opinions expressed in this podcast by the hosts and guests may or may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Miami University.

Marguerite Smith 

I'm a senior, I'm about to graduate, and I've done a lot of cool things in college.

Student 

I never thought that I was going to be an intramural curler. I never thought that I was going to be the student body president. These four years have been the biggest amount of growth I've seen in my entire life.

Meredith Aliff 

It's not just about the academics, but like, what kind of person you turn into, which is super cool.

Edward Johnson 

In college, you have to create a home. That's what I've learned. But that took me a little while, but I found my space when it comes to like homeiness, when I joined organizations like I was already a part of two Cincinnati, the cohort, right? The first cohort that those were my people, and then I also had the Office of Aspire, which I learned shortly thereafter, I came to Miami University, and I formed a band, so like I had that community as well. So building that community is what makes college feel like home.

Michaela 

Absolutely and I feel like the people totally make the place, as cliche as that sounds. That's 100% why I love this school so much is because and love college in general, but I think it's about finding a community, and that's so much about what we talk about on this podcast, is about finding things that make college feel like home, and what you can do to create that experience for yourself. So yeah, this is Major Insight, and I'm Michaela Buck. Who are you?

Edward Johnson 

My name is Edward Nathaniel Johnson. I am a fourth year Social Studies Education major with a minor in Music and Culture from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Michaela 

Love it. So I have so many questions for you, and we were kind of talking earlier that you had sort of a major switch, and I just want you to, like, walk me through that. What was that process like? And your Teach Cincinnati experience?

Edward Johnson 

I chose my first major out of spite, right? So let me tell you, I was in high school, and I wanted to teach music better than my music teacher at the time, because my band director, while she was great, her heart just wasn't in music anymore, you could tell. So I was like, let me go to Miami University and teach better than you. And that's what I was operating out of. But then, after I experienced some conferences with the Government Relations network here at Miami University, I learned that I want to teach students about the context of the world they live in, rather than one specific instrument, because I was saxophone at first, and then, honestly, when I first came to Miami University, I wasn't even a music major. I failed my first audition, so, like I was undecided for my first semester, I was just going with the motions, honestly, but as I found myself in what I actually wanted to do, that's why I switched my major and my sophomore year, because I was undeclared my first semester, I passed my audition the second time around, and then I was a music major, music education major, saxophone specifically for two semesters, and then I switched again to social studies.

Michaela 

Very interesting. And did you always know that you wanted to be a teacher?

Edward Johnson 

I always knew. There is a video on YouTube of me being frustrated that my little brother wouldn't let me teach. I was like, what eight? My brother like, four. I was so peeved that he wouldn't listen to me when I was trying to teach him. So I know I always had that passion for passing on knowledge.

Michaela 

Yeah, absolutely. Me and my sister always played school in our basement. That was like a classic game for us. So I totally can relate to that, because you'd always be bossing me around. And it's just funny that you kind of know what you want to do from the beginning, pretty much, yeah, and it seems like you're pretty passionate. I am. Yeah. So did you grow up playing instruments?

Edward Johnson 

I did. Actually, the first instrument I learned how to play was the voice, right? So, like when I lived at Kentucky for a little stint of my life, for a little bit, I was in Lexington in a choir. I can't remember the name of the church, but I was singing there. I was well known for being the little boy with the screechy voice that was like my whole brand. But then as I grew up, I started playing brass instruments, and then I moved on, to, from euphonium, I moved on to the quad drums, like the tenors, and then I played the bari sax. And then when I came to Miami University, I started playing the alto sax as a major. Between that time, I also bought my first instrument, which was the bass guitar. And a funny thing is, like, I wanted to learn it, but then I broke one of the strings, like, the first day I had it, because I over tuned it. And I didn't even have like an amplifier, so I would just be using the acoustics of my room to play the instrument. So it was just like I was working with three strings.

Michaela 

And you're like, this is all I got. I know when I used to play trumpet, we were talking about that earlier, and my parents would make me go in the garage to practice, because they're like, we can't we can't listen to this anymore.

Edward Johnson 

That was my life as well. I share that with you, yes.

Michaela 

Yeah, it's brutal, I can't lie. So what instruments do you play now?

Edward Johnson 

Well, with the band that I direct, which. The Sounds of Aspire, the government relations network band. I play the bass guitar and alto saxophone-- when they let me, I play the piano as well, but they usually keep me on the bass.

Michaela 

What is your band like? How did you create that? I feel like that's such a unique college experience.

Edward Johnson 

So you want this story?

Michaela 

Yes, of course, I want all the stories.

Edward Johnson 

So in my second semester of freshman year, when I just now became a music education major--

Michaela 

Your audition went through--

Edward Johnson 

Yes, then I came back with some new confidence. You know. So then we put a band together called The Blackberries, and then we performed at the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated event here at Miami Jabberwock, which, like, exposed us to a whole, like array of people. So that's when we were picked up by Randy Thomas, right, Vice President, Randy Thomas Esquire, and he said we could practice in his-- in his office like he said, you can come to old man's, on campus, and actually practice for whatever events you want to play at. So then I took that and I said, well, let's make this more like Office of Aspire oriented, you know, since he's given us the space to practice and perform and all that, let's play some homage to the office. So that's why we're called the Sounds of Aspire now, okay, and now we play everything from Billie Eillish to Jimi Hendrix. It doesn't matter, like, we'll play whatever the audience wants. You know.

Michaela 

I love that. So do you just get gigs? Like, do people just ask you to play and you're like, we're there?

Edward Johnson 

Yes, we actually just played on one of our band members porches the other day for, like, porch fest. So it's just like, we do anything. We've been at talent shows. We've performed at the governor's reception with Miami University at The Ohio Statehouse.  Yeah, that's what we did our first year and the year after that.

Michaela 

Yeah, my roommate, Lydia, is in a band, and I feel like it just connects you with so many people. And I feel like music is so powerful like that, and you can play whatever people want to hear.

Edward Johnson 

Yeah, yeah, there's nothing like live music.

Michaela 

And how we were talking about concerts earlier, like that's one of my favorite things to do, is go see my favorite artists.

Edward Johnson 

I agree, but sometimes I get to be my favorite artist.

Michaela 

I'm seeing now, right! How many people are in the band?

Edward Johnson 

So now there's six people in the band. We just picked up a new trombone guy, yeah, so that's fun. We have two trombones.

Michaela 

Are you sure you don't want me to play trumpet?

Edward Johnson 

I mean, you can come back whenever I have a trumpet for you if you want to play it, because I'm not doing much playing myself, right?

Michaela 

I want a celebrity show where I get to play the trumpet and everyone has to listen.

Edward Johnson 

Okay bet, we can make that happen. Yeah. We have a guitarist, we have a percussionist, we have me who plays a multitude of instruments, and then we also have a trumpeter slash pianist. But sometimes we switch up the instrumentation. We switch it up to the point where we had a French horn player one year. Brazilian, so, like, he would bring in, like influences from his musical background and come play with us, right? So it's just like, we don't just do talent shows or conferences. We play for the people. You know, if you need us for an assignment, we'll be there.

Michaela 

Yeah, I know. I'm gonna take you up on that. Maybe I'll ask you to come play on my porch.

Michaela 

So you mentioned the Office of Aspire. What-- can you tell me all about that?

Edward Johnson 

So Aspire is an acronym that has changed recently, Advancing State Priorities and Igniting Rural Economy, right? So what we do is we help students matriculate into college, and then we also have them understand the intersectionality between their major and government, because no one is exempt from the influence of government. And we want everyone to understand that even if you are a biology major, there's some policy that affects you. Even if you're political science, there's more to it than what you would initially think. Even as a musician, I have to think about music policy, yeah. So that's what it's about.

Michaela 

 Yeah, absolutely. Have you been involved since your freshman year?

Edward Johnson 

Yes I have. I have been involved since my freshman year. My first run in with the Government Relations network was in Washington, DC during my first year. We went in October to Washington, DC, when it's during something called the Engage conference now, right? So what I got to do is I got to meet a whole bunch of Miami University alumni and get to share my experience at Miami, even though how short it was, I got to share that with them. So that was fun. I didn't even know that it was a conference when I first went, I thought it was just a free trip to DC. I was like, Yeah, free flight. That's exactly what I thought, yeah. But no, it was a conference, so I had to dress and act accordingly.

Michaela 

There was no joking around here, right? Is that like an annual thing? Have you attended every year since?

Edward Johnson 

I have not attended it every year, but it is an annual thing. And I swear there are time for jokes. I swear it's not a super serious you know, time all the time. It's fun.

Michaela 

Yeah, so the band is through the Office of Aspire. Yes, it is. I love how everything intersects. That's a very cool part of your college experience that you get to kind of incorporate all of your passions into one.

Edward Johnson 

That's what I try to do, intersectionality, yeah, like my whole brand.

Michaela 

So tell me about Teach Cincinnati. I know that's a huge part of what you're doing, and kind of why you're here and why you want to become an educator.

Edward Johnson 

Teach Cincinnati is also an acronym. We love those around here.

Michaela 

Yeah, I was just want to say, you're gonna be explaining acronyms this whole podcast.

Edward Johnson 

It is Transformative Educators Advocating For Change, and then T Cincinnati, advocating for change in Cincinnati, right? So what we do is we go to Miami University on a multitude of stat scholarships, and then we return to our hometown to teach the kids of the kids we grew up with, right? So we're giving back to our communities.

Michaela 

So when were you-- do you get asked to do that prior to coming to school?

Edward Johnson 

Yes you do. I was asked at the end of my eighth grade year, and then I went on field trips to Miami University, meeting staff, faculty and current students during my high school years, and then I already knew enough people to where I was comfortable coming my freshman year of college. So, yeah, you get to meet people before you come.

Michaela 

And so was Miami your first choice? Or kind of, how did you choose which school you're going to?

Edward Johnson 

I always know I was gonna go to Miami. Like, when the serious conversation of Eddie you're going to college, what college do you want to go to? It was always Miami. Like, I'd never had an if and or, but about it. I always know it's coming to Miami.

Michaela 

So you have another year left, and then you go back to teach in Cincinnati.

Edward Johnson 

Yes, I do. Yes.

Michaela 

Very cool. So what do you think has been maybe your biggest challenge here, something you've had to overcome in all of these experiences you've had at school?

Edward Johnson 

The challenge, there's always a new one, and that's a challenge in itself, being able to ebb and flow with the ebb and flows of college is something that I have to always make amendments to, because there's always a new challenge. Like, I'll be like, well, I'm hungry, and the dining hall hours are terrible at wherever I'm at. It's like, they're always open when I'm not hungry. Yeah. And then it'll be like, well, I thought these people who are my friends? Are no longer my friends, and what do I do in solitude? Or like, how do I find new friends? It's like, always finding something new to do or like new people to hang around, or like a way to like, preserve your happiness. You know, it's like, because happiness is a constantly changing thing you can't like, there's no faucet that you can turn on that'll just pour out happiness, right? That's what I'm saying. So you have to make your own happiness, and that's one challenge that I've had. It's like staying happy, as morbid as that sounds, I mean it in a positive way, like I'm generally happy. It's just like finding new ways to find that happiness.

Michaela 

And I feel like every semester, at least for me, my priorities change, and I feel like with that, your happiness changes too. Like, what causes you happiness? It kind of differs once, as you're getting older, as you're experiencing more like, what made me happy as a freshman doesn't necessarily like make me happy now, you know, right?

Edward Johnson 

And as you get more like responsibilities, that intersectionality idea comes in, where it's like everything that you do has to be some part of some mission. Everything I do contributes to me being a black male educator, and to some extent, right? So when I'm with the Office of Aspire, I'm advocating for higher education so I can instill that same value in my students. When I go back to Cincinnati and say, hey, your voice matters, just like mine did when I was your age. So like what I'm saying is, if I keep that in mind, I can stay happy if I know that what I'm doing is contributing to my mission of being an educator, I'm happy.

Michaela 

Yeah, and it's aligning with your purpose. You know, I agree with that. You know, every little thing hopefully is going to get me to where I want to be or where I picture myself being after college. And so I think, yeah, if what I'm doing is aligning with that, it contributes to that happiness sort of feeling, yeah, I know I completely agree.

Michaela 

What would you say to your freshman yourself now, being a senior, looking back a fourth year and saying, like, this is kind of what I wish he knew going into college,

Edward Johnson 

I wouldn't tell myself anything. I would not give myself any warnings. I would do this all over again. This has been one heck of an experience, because learning how to mess up and how to recover is such a vital part of the college experience, because you are going to screw up so bad all the time, and that's okay, because it's not about like, how hard you fall, it's about how you get up, right? So that's what I would tell myself, that brace for impact.

Michaela 

Well, I feel like there's something special to be said about having no forewarning, you know, like everyone's experience is so unique. Going into college, it's almost like you can't really prepare anyone for what they're personally going to experience, you know.

Edward Johnson 

Right. And it's like you learn so much about yourself by going through trials and tribulations and like having to figure out things and navigating on your own, that is invaluable. You can't like, write that down in a book. You can't like, give a lesson on that.

Michaela 

Right. Well-- and even with you switching your majors and finally deciding to do social studies, I feel like there was such a path to that that you needed to undergo in order to get where you want to be now.

Edward Johnson 

Right, because, like, my time with the Office of Aspire was all about me having a voice in me, being able to draw the context between, why are we here now and why is it important? What are we doing here in DC, what are we doing here in Columbus, and why does it matter, you know. And then I want students to know why they matter. I want students to know like everything that I do is in the same vein, you know?

Michaela 

Well, I think it'll be very powerful when you do go back to your high school, hopefully, or a school in Cincinnati generally, and you're able to be like I was once here, you know, like I was this student. I went through all of this, and now I'm back to give back what I have learned, and I feel like your students are going to respect you so much because you've gotten to this point, you know, and you were in their shoes at one point.

Edward Johnson 

And then after that, I want to, like, go into educational advocacy in general, outside of the classroom, because, like, you said, they're going to believe me if I've actually been a teacher. So, like, that's, like, what I'm saying about my future career path as well, because a lot of education happens outside of the classrooms. Schooling and education are very different. As I've said in my previous appearances in podcasts like these, I say that, like, schooling happens in the classroom, and education is something that you do on your own or with mentors or sponsors or people who support you, because the people that have gotten me here are a big part of it. Like, I'll thank them every day. If I can, like, it'll be like the people from EHS, like Dr Brian Schultz, and then Dr Tammy Schwartz, and then everybody in that office, as well as Office of Aspire, Vice President Randy Malcolm, Thomas Esquire and Director Tekeia Howard and Lauren Poythress, Director of Federal Relations, like everybody, It takes a village to raise me.

Michaela 

Yeah, I think you know more faculty than I have friends.

Edward Johnson 

That'll do it, because you have to lean on the people that you're around constantly. Who are you around? More than anybody when you're in college, your professors and being close to your professors is important in college as well. If I don't say anything else during this podcast, I want to, like, hone that in. You have to build relationships with them, because I've been in many office hours where I'm like, Hey, I'm having a tough time because the trials and tribulations of being a college student, and then the professors understand. They're like, hey, Eddie, I can work with you.

Michaela 

And it's about forming connections, no matter who that's with. We were just talking about that on our last episode about how important it is to realize that your professors are there to help you. And I feel like you're a great testament to that, that you've reached out, you built those relationships, and now you're better for it, and you've been so involved in everything, and, yeah, they've kind of helped get you to this point,

Edward Johnson 

Yeah, because especially if you get sick--

Michaela 

No, it's true, though. Like, then they're like, Okay, I know that Edward's good for it. Like, he could be sick today.

Edward Johnson 

 Like, learning from that, and being able to, like, email my professors, like, hey, I'm not feeling good this week. I'll still do the homework, just send me something so I can, like, read up, please.

Michaela 

Yeah, I can sit on my laptop in my bed, but I cannot come to class today. Yeah, no. And then they're like, oh, I know him. He's good. You know, this could be excused, but if they don't know you, sometimes they don't have that much leniency.

Edward Johnson 

Yeah, that's why I sit in front of class.

Michaela 

That's a good tip for our listeners. Sit in the front of class.

Edward Johnson 

 That's why, like, I hand in the attendance sheet when everybody else has signed it, I'm the last person to touch it, so, yeah, I want you to see me.

Michaela 

Yeah, yeah, that's valid. You're like, making eye contact with them as you end it like, this is me, I'm right here..

Edward Johnson 

Remember me when I have to refer to you later?

Michaela 

I guess, kind of, what is one piece of advice you have for college students? Kind of, as we wrap things up, obviously, you have a lot of experiences, and you're really involved, and I guess, what has that taught you, and what do you want other people to learn from that?

Edward Johnson 

That you don't live in a silo. You don't live in a vacuum. Spatial awareness is key when you're at college, because everybody is doing something at the same time, and you have to learn how to do it too, right? So being a part of your community, in order to have a village, you have to be a villager.

Michaela 

Yes, I just saw that on Tiktok. It was like, we've lost that feeling of, you know, you don't want to drive some of the airport well, then no one's gonna drive you to the airport. Niche kind of example there. But it's so true.

Edward Johnson 

You have to make space for other people in order for you to be able to foster connections with them. And one thing that I would have told myself, let me, let me correct myself from beforehand, I would say that GPA is important. Like, I was the kind of guy that would say GPA isn't everything. But then sometimes I would forget that GPA does mean something at the end of the day, yeah, because I have a lot of cool stuff on my resume, things to no end, right? It's just like I do everything. But that number is also important when you want to apply for things and, like, when you want to, like, show that you are capable of something, you have to have that number on that paper alongside all of those cool things that you did. They want to know that you're capable.

Michaela 

Yeah, and I think it's important to note that that starts from freshman year, and that's something my mom always reminded me of. It's kind of like a tiered cake, you know. So freshman year kind of sends your foundation, and then as you kind of have a little bit of a, I guess a padding, if you will, as you get older, because you've established yourself in your grades, but yeah, it definitely is important to remember, like, it's hard to build that back up, so you want to make sure that you have pretty solid foundation whn you start.

Edward Johnson 

 Yeah, because I was not an outstanding student in high school, I'll tell you that I was not.

Michaela 

I would never know Edward.

Edward Johnson 

Let me be transparent, though I'm trying to be genuine yeah. So I was never an outstanding student in high school, but I always did cool stuff. And I thought that was translate into me being at Miami University, me being in college, but it's like, you have to do what you have to do before you do all the stuff that you want to do. There's like priorities, and prioritization is very important in college. Do the hard stuff first, yeah, and then everything else will, you know, fall into place.

Michaela 

 Well, it's cool, like, don't downplay your achievements and your experiences and that stacked resume like, that's so important too. Like, to a degree, it isn't everything you know, like, you have all these awesome probably relationships like networking, that you've done jobs, connections like that, that there's something to be said about that too. So you should be extremely proud of yourself.

Edward Johnson 

And I'm also adding podcaster to it.

Michaela 

Professional podcasters. Yeah, and I'm gonna add professional trumpet player. Well, thank you so much for coming on, Edward. It was a pleasure talking to you.

Edward Johnson 

 Same to you.

Michaela 

Maybe we should start our podcast together.

Michaela 

Edward Johnson is a social studies education major and music and culture minor at Miami University, where he's also involved in the Office of Aspire and a member of the Teach Cincinnati program. And thank you for listening to major insight, many more stories, advice and inspiration are always available wherever podcasts are found.