The Minnesota-based distributor Johnson Brothers has endowed a $1M scholarship at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities’ Carlson School of Management to support underrepresented students with financial need.
The Johnson Brothers Scholarship for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will grow to support 10 students per year. It aims to help build the pipeline of diverse talent in the region, so that Johnson Brothers and the entire business community can have a workforce with a variety of backgrounds and experiences.
“The Johnson Brothers Scholarship enhances our ability to attract and enroll promising Minnesota students from all backgrounds, bolstering our commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture at the Carlson School,” says Dean Sri Zaheer. “We’re grateful to Johnson Brothers for using business as a force for good, a value we strongly believe in.”
The multi-year, renewable scholarship will enable the Carlson School to provide funding to promising Minnesota undergraduate students.
With this latest gift, the Johnson family continues their support of the University and the Carlson School. Previously, they endowed a scholarship for University of Minnesota junior and senior undergraduates with a demonstrated interest in entrepreneurship. Named for their late father, Lynn Johnson — who attended the University in 1947 — the scholarship honors his entrepreneurial spirit while supporting students who are similarly inspired.
Since 2014, more than 50 students have received the award.
“As a member of the Carlson School Board of Advisors, I know how committed the University is to diversity, equity and inclusion – and in particular, their focus on advancing underrepresented students from Minnesota,” says Michael Johnson (’84, CLA), CEO of Johnson Brothers and a member of the Carlson School’s Board of Advisors. “We share this commitment at Johnson Brothers. With this scholarship, our goal is to enable diverse students from Minnesota with the opportunity to get a world-class education.
“We want to make a positive difference in the lives of these students and help to build business leaders,” adds Todd Johnson, COO of Johnson Brothers.
