Dan Johnson, former Southeast
Community College athletic director and current instructor, received the George
E. Killian Award of Excellence at the 2022 National Junior College Athletic
Association Convention in Birmingham, Alabama, on April 13. The award is given
to individuals dedicated to the ideals of volunteerism, achievement, service,
leadership, and excellence.
“It is a great honor to
receive the George E. Killian Award, and when I look at the others who have
received it from the past, I felt humbled,” Johnson said. “I am grateful to my
peers for thinking of me regarding this recognition.”
Johnson’s career at SCC has
spanned nearly 40 years. He started in 1983 when he took over from Dana Altman
as the men’s basketball coach at Fairbury Junior College, which later became
part of SCC. A few years later the College was moved to Beatrice, and the role
of athletic director was added to his list of duties. He also served as the
men’s golf coach.
During his tenure as AD, the
department expanded from four sports to 10, the latest additions being men’s
and women’s soccer in 2020. He stepped down from the AD role last fall, and is
now faculty and chair of the social science department on the Beatrice Campus.
He has served as NJCAA Region
IX men’s director since 2007. Johnson said this was the first NJCAA meeting
that he missed, when he found out he received the award.
“I had all of these texts
congratulating me on the award from Birmingham,” he said. “It was never on my
radar that I would receive this award, and needless to say I was
flabbergasted. After all, I received an award for just doing my job.”
The George E. Killian Award
is open to all regional directors, assistant regional directors, coaches association
presidents, presidential representatives and officers with a minimum of two
years of service to the NJCAA. Two recipients are named annually, and a $500
stipend is awarded to the recipient’s region.