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For 91ԭ�� (GGC) student Coréon Johnson, the plan after high school seemed simple: go straight into the workforce. Instead, that path led him somewhere unexpected and transformative.

“I got a job at Walgreens, and some students who worked there told me about GGC,” he said.

That conversation changed everything. After a shift one day, Johnson went home, talked with his mom, applied and was accepted. Because of the pandemic, his orientation took place online, but in August 2021, he stepped onto campus for the first time.

“GGC became a utopia for me because I got to be around people my age,” he said. “There were students tabling, walking around campus, music playing; it was the college experience.”

At first, Johnson commuted, attending classes and heading straight home. But over time, he began to immerse himself in campus life. By 2024, he moved into the residence halls and became a resident assistant. His involvement only grew from there, earning him the title of Homecoming King that same year and election as president of the Student Government Association in 2025.

Nicknamed “Mr. Georgia Gwinnett Coréon,” Johnson is known as the quintessential all-around student. But behind his success is a story shaped by resilience.

“My dad was always telling me that I wasn’t good enough,” he said. “He would call me the weakest link in my family.”

After his parents separated, Johnson, his mother, and siblings experienced homelessness, at one point living out of a Mini Cooper for weeks. He credits his mother’s perseverance for helping them overcome those hardships.

One pivotal part of his journey was joining the Elite Scholars program.

“It was a foundation for me. It’s a community where you get guidance,” he said.

Through that program, Johnson found mentors in Dr. Brandon Lewis, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, and Allen Clarke, assistant director of the Student Center.

“They showed me what I could become,” he said. “I want to pay that forward by helping build people up.”

His experiences have shaped a powerful perspective: validation is temporary, but purpose is lasting.

“People forget things that you’ve done on campus, and I’ve learned that what counts is the impact you make on your community,” he said. “When I joined Kappa Alpha Psi, my brothers taught me that the letters don’t change you. It’s about how you focus and lift others. Life is bigger than yourself.”

As he prepares to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in management, Johnson is already looking ahead. This fall, he will attend Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business to pursue his master’s degree.

“GGC helped me figure out who I am,” he said. “Know your end goals and see it through. When one door closes, another will open, but you have to seek it. It’s okay to fail because you can change course and learn from it.”