Fannie Johnson - UI&U Alum

Fannie Johnson knows first-hand that a Union degree is a transforming experience. After a series of misfortunes left her homeless, Fannie sought shelter for both herself and her children—and she searched for the empowerment to ensure that other women would not suffer the same fate. When she enrolled in UI&U’s undergraduate program, Fannie discovered ways to make a more profound difference within impoverished areas of the city. And when she graduated from UI&U in 2007, her children cheered for her from the sidelines as she accepted her diploma.

Now, as a proud UI&U alumna, Fannie has put her Union degree to good purpose as the director of shelter services at the Drop Inn Center, a family shelter located in Cincinnati, Ohio’s Over-the-Rhine district – assisting other women and families in desperate need.  Fannie also uses the skills she gained through her studies in social work as a volunteer with the Over-the-Rhine Community Housing, an organization dedicated to building and sustaining housing opportunities for low-income families.  Spurred by her ability to make a difference, she recently returned to school and has earned a master’s degree in social work.

Fannie is a quintessential UI&U lifelong learner. When asked about Union, Fannie says, “It was Union that helped me further my work in helping people put their lives back together.  It doesn’t get any better than that.”