David Russell Johnson, Department of Communication Alum, accepting award from Meredith Neville-Shepard

David Russell Johnson, who earned both a BA and MA in Communication (in 1989 and 1991), was named the recipient of the Department of Communication’s 2024 Outstanding Alumni Award. The award honors alumni who have obtained the highest level of professional or academic accomplishment. 

Johnson has served as the Executive Director of the Fayetteville Public Library since 2012, where he manages over 100 staff members and is responsible for multiple aspects of library services including customer services, physical and digital collections, programming and events, facilities, marketing, media relations, and financing. He developed the FPL 2030 Master Plan, which saw a major expansion of the library into a 4-acre plot once owned by the City Hospital, led a campaign for a millage increase to cover construction and operating costs, and helped oversee the construction and opening of the new public space. 

Professor Emeritus Stephen A. Smith, who has collaborated with Johnson over the years, praised Johnson’s development of the Lending Hands Homebound Service when he served as the Department Head for Adult Library Services. The program saw the library partner with Meals on Wheels to provide books to homebound senior citizens. 

Johnson’s long career since completing his Communication degrees has seen him teach basic courses in the area at UA Fort Smith, Louisiana State University-Eunice, and the University of Arkansas. He also began working for Tyson Foods in 1997, starting as the Information Systems Help Desk Manager and ending as the Information Systems Lead in Product Research & Development before returning to the city library in his current role. 

Smith notes that Johnson’s service to the local community has been extensive, summarizing that he is “an outstanding example of the successful students that have been educated and received degrees from the University of Arkansas Communication Department.” 

Written by Ryan Neville-Shepard, Vice Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Communication

Photos by Lacie Bryles, Marketing and Programs Specialist