Rashonda B. Johnston

From an early age, Rashonda B. Johnston was influenced to pursue her career path by her mother, who played the piano. She started taking lessons when she was six years old and 10 years later, having surpassed her teacher’s skills, she began taking classes from the professors at a local community college until ultimately transferring to the Baptist College of Florida in 2019. Earning a Bachelor of Arts in music and graduating summa cum laude from the institution in 2021, with the highest grade-point-average in her program, she additionally contributed as an assistant to the Teacher Education Division, an assistant to the Music Division, and still serves as a pianist and an accompanist for numerous ensembles at the college, traveling to other states to perform in various musical events.

In 2022, she was hired by the Baptist College of Florida as the Institutional Effectiveness Assistant and LiveText Manager, a role through which she helps the school remain competitive by staying accredited, runs LiveText—an institutional data collection software—and builds course evaluations for students to provide feedback.

Outside of these responsibilities, Ms. Johnston has maintained her longtime position as the church pianist at Holmes Creek Baptist Church, where she accompanies the choir and performs for the worship service. She’s also active as a private piano teacher and currently tutors two students. Since she was 11 years old in 2011, she has volunteered at the O’Brien Baptist Emergency Food Pantry within the O’Brien Baptist Church. Attributing her success to being determined and having a strong sense of responsibility, Ms. Johnston is also a devoted Baptist believer and lives her life by Colossians 3:23—which says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” She gives her all in everything she does.