JOHNSTON COUNTY — Dr. David Johnson stepped in as Johnston Community College’s third president on July 1. He brings with him a tenacious energy and a philosophy of lifelong education.

“In learning, we’re able to lead and serve others,” Johnson said in an interview on his first day. “We’ve always got to have an attitude to learn something new so that we can provide for our family and our communities.”

Johnson’s family has roots in Johnston County; his father is from the county, and Johnson himself grew up in Raleigh and lived in the Piedmont until 1989. When the family harvested tomatoes, Johnson and his brothers would walk the neighborhoods selling tomatoes for 25 cents a bag.

Later, he spent 10 years in youth ministry and church music. Eventually, a course at N.C. State showed him just how well his personal mission lined up with the role of community colleges.

“It provides second chances, and it provides chances for many people,” Johnson said. “I’m pleased to be able to serve the people I live with in that way.”

At JCC, Johnson plans to bring out the best in the school by solving the challenges and barriers that hinder progress.

“The obvious barrier right now is the budget situation; we are experiencing already exponential enrollment growth,” he said.

“We’ll need to deal with how we’re accommodating physically our growth on campus and off campus.”

One solution, he said, could be to expand distance learning, such as Internet-based classes. The last option on the table is to cap enrollment, he added.

And because he came from a different school, Johnson will need some time to get on his feet before he tackles those problems.

“I need to do an awful lot of listening and not so much talking and directing at this point,” he said. One idea he has is to improve the college’s alumni connections.

In the long run, Johnson thinks economic development will be one of the most crucial bullet points on his agenda.

“We are able to sustain jobs by providing a workforce that is capable of learning and retooling for the future,” he said. “I think that we will be at the table with our economic developers as the county continues to grow and prosper.”

Johnson, 52, will soon move his wife and youngest son to Johnston County. Wallace, his older son, is a rising junior at Campbell University, while Isaac is a rising eighth-grader.