EOU names online student Tyson Johnson as 2025 presidential scholar

EOU names online student Tyson Johnson as 2025 presidential scholar

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Tyson Johnson, an English and writing student from Draper, Utah, has been named Eastern Oregon University’s 2025 Presidential Scholar. Johnson will deliver the student address at commencement in La Grande this spring.

At 32, Johnson is a part-time student, freelance writer, bookkeeper, and proofreader. Tyson began his academic journey at Salt Lake Community College in his 20s. Several years later, inspired by his wife, Abby, he started looking for a university aligned with his goals. He found EOU and began taking classes online.

“It’s been a great experience,” Johnson said. “I was worried about being so far away, but honestly, it has been great. I quickly felt at home and made lasting relationships.”

Johnson has served as a staff editor for Oregon East, the student-run literary journal, where he helped coordinate its first live reading event in several years. As the journal’s first blog editor, he established editorial workflows and introduced new content that will continue to roll out in the coming months. He also worked as a manuscript editor for Young Scholars in Writing, and his poetry and short fiction have appeared in Oregon East, including a short story in the upcoming 75th anniversary issue.

Reflecting on his coursework, Johnson described it as both challenging and engaging. “I was nervous about poetry, but I was inspired,” he said. The interpretive structure of poetry initially felt intimidating, but the experience shaped how he now approaches all forms of writing.

Johnson has also supported non-native English speakers preparing for English proficiency exams. “Everyone deserves access to the same quality education I’ve been fortunate to receive,” he said.

In his Presidential Scholar application essay, Johnson reflected on the fear and anxiety often associated with academic life, particularly for online learners. He wrote that these challenges ultimately became a source of motivation:

“I still carry fear. I still carry anxiety. I am still exhausted. But I am at the peak, and there are many more mountains to climb. I am a Mountaineer for life.”

Johnson credited EOU faculty—especially English professor Eliot Treichel—for offering encouragement that continues to resonate.

“If you’re going to be a writer, you have to be fearless.”

This advice gave him the confidence to explore his voice through poetry and horror fiction and to set new goals. After graduation, Johnson plans to continue writing short stories and may pursue a teaching certificate and eventually a master’s degree.

Johnson,  Abby, and their dog Daisy will travel from Utah to attend EOU’s Commencement Ceremonies in La Grande in person. 

“I want to say thank you to everyone,” Johnson said. “Behind many college students are family and friends, motivating and encouraging them. They are the unseen heroes. I value education, and EOU made me feel like I was part of a community. If I had to choose one word to describe my time here, it would be ‘rewarding.’”