Historic Vermont liberal arts college (1828–2018) emphasizing experiential learning and civic engagement.
Johnson State College emphasized undergraduate self-development through "education by engagement," requiring all students to begin with a year of interdisciplinary studies. The college offered degree programs in natural sciences, business, fine and performing arts, education, mathematics, literature, health sciences, writing, and hospitality and tourism management. Graduate offerings included an M.F.A. in Studio Arts (with coursework at the Vermont Studio Center), Master of Arts in Education, and Master of Arts in Counseling. The faculty-student ratio was 1:14, with approximately 60% of undergraduates from Vermont and 40% from other U.S. states and international nations.
The 350-acre main campus sat on College Hill above Johnson village, with views of Sterling Mountain. Key facilities included the Dibden Center for the Arts (housing Dance, Music, Theater, and Fine Arts), the Library and Learning Center (home to Vermont's largest fine arts publication collection and a National Archives repository), John Dewey Hall (1963 International Style library building), the Visual Arts Center (renovated 2012 with studios for design, drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and woodworking), and Wilson Bentley Science Hall (housing Mathematics and Environmental/Health Sciences). The college also maintained the 1,000-acre Babcock Nature Preserve in Eden, Vermont for scientific and educational study.
Johnson State College competed in NCAA Division III as the Badgers, a member of the North Atlantic Conference. Men's sports included basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, tennis, track & field, and volleyball; women's sports included basketball, cross country, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and women's triathlon (added 2018, the only NCAA varsity women's triathlon program in New England). The college emphasized student engagement in civic and community roles.
Johnson State College was founded in 1828 by John Chesamore as Johnson Academy, teaching Greek, Latin, algebra, and geometry. It became a Vermont state normal school in 1867 and gradually evolved into a liberal arts college. The college was among the first Vermont universities to introduce electives and pioneered experiential learning. On July 1, 2018, it merged with Lyndon State College to form Northern Vermont University. In July 2023, that institution merged with Castleton University and Vermont Technical College to become Vermont State University, with the Johnson campus continuing as part of the Vermont State Colleges system.