Dr. Barbara Johnson, the associate professor who built Maryville College’s Computer Science major from the ground up, will retire at the end of the 2025-26 academic year after more than two decades shaping the program and its students.
Johnson joined the Maryville College faculty in 2001, shortly after earning her Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.
Before academia, she worked as a systems programmer for a U.S. Department of Defense contractor, where she specialized in the Ada programming language. Her industry background informed a curriculum that has kept pace with evolving technology, from web development to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Under her guidance, the program grew steadily in enrollment, attracted a notable number of female students into a male-dominated field, and produced graduates now working at companies including Meta and Google. She also founded and coached MC’s Computer Programming Team, which competes annually at regional collegiate competitions.
Johnson’s retirement has practical implications for the local business community: MC’s Computer Science program has been a pipeline of tech talent for the region, and the college plans to hire a replacement faculty member to continue building on that foundation.
Johnson plans to relocate to North Carolina following her retirement.
