William Patrick Johnson
Outstanding Senior
Class of 2024

Presbyterian College’s 2024 Outstanding Senior admits he is not particularly fond of public speaking. Nonetheless, William Johnson hopes to inspire and reflect during his commencement speech on May 11.

The Lexington High School graduate—soon to be a PC graduate—was named Outstanding Senior at Honors Day this spring. This honor allowed him to address the Class of 2024 in their caps and gowns on Vance Plaza and provide insight into their shared academic journey.

“As soon as I heard that I had to give a speech, I was definitely not thrilled,” Johnson said. “But it is definitely an honor to have been recognized, for sure. I want everybody to reminisce and reflect on some of the lessons and teachings we all experienced here as a collective group—and then tie that into how that best prepares us for an uncertain future.”

Johnson’s immediate future is set. The biochemistry and history dual major will begin studying medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina this fall. Revelations also abound as he looks back on his academic career at PC.

“I think one of the big lessons I took away from being a history major is learning how to think properly,” Johnson said. “Biochemistry tends to be pretty linear. There is usually only one mindset necessary to solve a problem. But in a history classroom, you hear different perspectives. It’s almost subjective how you interpret things. One of the biggest soft skills I learned was how to pair different ideas together towards one ideal solution.”

As a student who majored in a science and one of the humanities, Johnson is an obvious fan of the liberal arts. He took full advantage of its power to prepare him for any future – especially medicine.

“Medicine is an area of specialty where you deal with people from all different backgrounds, identities, and diverse cultures,” he said. “Listening to what people are saying and not reading into it purely from your own perspective is a big benefit. Effective communication is essential in medicine.”

Being curious about science and the humanities made Johnson a better student at PC and played a role in being admitted to medical school.

“A lot of people remarked on the interesting combination of majors, especially during med-school interviews,” he said. “I’ve been asked about it quite a bit. I think a lot of the curiosity came from my choice to pursue history as a major, also.”

History was an essential part of growing up in the Johnson household, he said. Johnson’s father was a history major who shared a love of historical documentaries with his son. He added that an introductory history class with Dr. Stefan Wiecki helped seal the deal.

“History was a nice break from such an analytical mindset to be able to think creatively,” he said. “And that was honestly an attractive side of that major.”

But what really attracted Johnson to PC was seeing his older brother, Alex ’19, thrive as a student-athlete and having coaches take an interest in him.

“PC was the only place that had any real interest in my athletic talent,” he said. “That was a big draw, first and foremost. And the people and professors here were better, bar none, compared to other colleges I visited. I liked the professors and students I met. I liked the culture.”

While Johnson considers his future in medicine, he also looks back on the friendships he fostered at PC as a member of the cross-country team and involved in various activities, including Campus Outreach, the American Chemical Society, and the Ultimate Frisbee Club.

As he departs for his life’s next chapter, he imparts wisdom to his classmates and emphatic advice for the next generation of Blue Hose.

“Get involved early,” he said. “Find a group of different people you can consistently meet with and do service-oriented things to help other people. I think getting experience with people in that servant atmosphere really helps get you in a good mindset. When you’re helping others in that sort of capacity, there’s no room to feel prideful. It really helps keep you humble, and it keeps you aware of the circumstances of others around you.”

Johnson said every new student should take full advantage of what PC offers and make it a place where people feel welcome to join.

“The PC experience is what you make of it,” he said. “You can be as invested in it or as uninvested in it as you want to be. I always encourage people to be more invested; you’ll get more out of it that way.”