In fall of 2024, the University of St. Francis Board of Trustees informed the university of Dr. Arvid Johnson’s intention to retire at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. Johnson, the university’s ninth president, began his tenure in June of 2013 after serving as professor and dean at Dominican University, and prior to that, gaining consulting, engineering, manufacturing and senior management experience in a variety of business environments.
From the start of his presidency, “Arvid” (which he humbly asked the entire USF community to call him) was a believer in servant leadership. His inauguration theme, “Called to Lead, Called to Serve,” was an indication of his commitment to serving his new Franciscan university with both strength and humility. For many years, his email signature included a quote by Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: “A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, ‘We did this ourselves.’”
An active Catholic, Arvid quickly established an important bond with the Franciscan founders of the university— the Sisters of St. Mary Immaculate. He made USF’s mission his own: to guide a welcoming community that prepares students to contribute to the world through service and leadership.
Sr. Jeanne Besette, OSF, president of the founding congregation, noted how from his appointment to his retirement, Arvid embraced Franciscan traditions and motivations, imbuing every action, conversation and decision with the university’s hallmark values of respect, integrity, service and compassion.
“He fully supported the university’s mission to serve the many first-generation college students who find their way to USF and provided pathways for them and all students to meaningful careers,” she added. “Whether athletes or artists, educators or accountants, nurses or administrators, students during Arvid’s tenure were challenged to take with them upon graduation the same values he nurtured in himself and others around him. He truly became a partner with the founding sponsors, the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate in growing our ministry of Catholic, Franciscan higher education for a new generation.”
Arvid and his wife, Anne, became active members of the university community, attending campus events, sports matches, and taking a genuine interest in every Saint. Arvid made a regular practice of having lunch in the Terrace Café with students and employees and enthusiastically participated in the “USF Power” video campaign, where he engaged in a comical arm-wrestling match against USF’s oldest alumna and raced against a USF cross country star on the Quad. He and Anne quickly became two of the Fighting Saints’ biggest fans, following athletics closely. In 2015, Arvid was awarded with USF Athletics’ “Supporting Saint Award,” presented to the top university employee or community member who makes a positive impact on the daily lives of USF student-athletes (nominated by the athletes). The same award was presented to Anne in 2025.
“From day one, Arvid and Anne supported all of our athletic programs and that backing only swelled with each passing year,” stated Dave Laketa, director of athletics. “You could find each of them cheering on our teams at contests both home and on the road, as well as at national championship events, which was a rarity for sitting presidents at any NAIA institution to attend. For that dedication and commitment, we are most grateful for their love of the Saints, which we know will continue into their retirement.”
Arvid realized many personal and professional successes during his 12-year tenure at USF. In 2013, Arvid saw a need for a fresh, new way to communicate the university’s values. He and USF’s Marketing Services team gave USF a new look through a re-brand—developing new logos and adopting a new tagline, “Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.” He also expanded the university’s reach to alumni and donors by establishing the “Engaging Mind & Spirit” magazine, delivered a few times per year to share USF’s good news with stakeholders. It was the first publication of its magnitude to be published by the university, and 30 issues later, the good news continues to be shared.
Arvid worked hard to expand the university’s academic offerings, and student outcomes remained strong and above those of peer institutions. He helped establish international partnerships with leading universities in the Czech Republic (2013), China (2019) and Vietnam (2021), allowing more than 1,200 additional students to pursue coursework and USF degrees.
He also grew USF’s physical footprint, expanding the presence of the university to three Joliet locations, connected by a shuttle service. In 2013, the USF Art Gallery opened on Van Buren Street in downtown Joliet, a few doors down from the university’s existing art instruction facilities in the Rialto Theater building. In 2014, the nearby former Mode Theater building opened as the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center and the three downtown spaces became USF’s “St. Bonaventure Campus.” That same year, the Motherhouse on Main Campus saw major renovations. In 2016, USF opened Guardian Angel Hall at “St. Clare Campus” at the site of the Sisters of St. Francis’s former Guardian Angel Home near Crest Hill. The renovation of the facilities at these two campuses created new learning spaces for students in the arts, sciences, business and nursing.
The Main Campus also saw an addition with the opening of the LaVerne & Dorothy Brown Science Hall in 2018—creating an environment in which students and faculty could comfortably collaborate and conduct modern science research. In 2019, the university’s old science building, St. Albert Hall, was torn down to make way for a new view of campus. In its place, the Benoit Commons was built, providing an outdoor space for gathering and studying.
Arvid was the first (and hopefully only) president in USF’s history to lead his university through a global pandemic. COVID-19 stunned the world in spring of 2020, which happened to be the start of the university’s centennial year. Major plans to celebrate 100 years of USF’s rich history were cancelled, rescheduled, or reimagined in an online format. The resilience of the USF community, under Arvid’s leadership, proved the strength of the Saints. He helped raise funds to honor the Centennial through the construction of the “Centennial Gateway,” built at the northwest corner of campus, including a life-sized sculpture of St. Francis of Assisi with a Saint Bernard. In 2021, USF acquired a 40-acre farm, 15 miles southeast of USF’s Main Campus, gifted to the university by a generous alumna donor. The property is now called the Charlotte Codo Prairie and provides a place for students in environmental and life science programs to do research.
USF achieved Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) status in 2023. Shortly after, a Title V grant worth nearly $3 million over five years was awarded to USF to carry out initiatives to recruit, retain and graduate students—especially Hispanic students—from low-income households. Nationally, the university was included in prestigious rankings and “best” lists, year after year, for academic excellence. Arvid’s numerous roles on boards for organizations like the Council of Independent Colleges, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics also helped ensure that the University of St. Francis was well-positioned on a national scale.
Fiscally, Arvid and USF’s Administration & Finance team substantially improved USF’s financial position and fiscal viability including building cash reserves, increasing net assets to an all-time high, more than doubling the university’s endowment, and raising over $50 million—including state and federal grants. Led by USF’s University Advancement team, USF saw two of its most successful fundraising years in fiscal years 2023 and 2024, in which over $6 million was raised in each respective year. Additionally, over the last ten years, the annual Caritas Scholarship Celebration has raised over $3 million for student scholarships, which is almost half the total of the funds raised in all 67 years of the annual event.
In May 2025, the university broke ground on another impressive Main Campus structure—the grant-funded USF Student Success Center, which will house the registrar, advising, tutoring and accessibility offices. Construction is estimated to be completed in April 2026.
Arvid has described his service to USF as one of the highlights of his professional life, indicating that he and Anne look forward to remaining involved with the university after his retirement.
Said Joe Mallof, USF Board of Trustees chair, “USF was lucky to have Arvid as president for so many years, but Arvid was also lucky to have found USF. It gave him the opportunity to live and practice servant leadership, in which he deeply believed. I am grateful to have known, taught and served with Arvid for almost 20 years. He often ended [notes] with the Franciscan saying, “peace and all good” and I wish the same for Arvid and Anne as they continue their journey.”
