Kayla Johnson
Assistant Professor, Director of Graduate Global Learning Initiatives
Dr. Kayla Johnson joined EPE in the Fall of 2020. In her research, she uses visual, student voice, action, and community-engaged methods to explore issues related to learning, development, and social justice in higher and international education. Dr. Johnson’s research has been supported by $500k+ in research grants. Her most recent projects have explored: 1) study abroad opportunities for first-generation college students, 2) the influence of access to postsecondary education on the identity development of rural first-generation Indigenous students, 3) the impact of Covid-19 on teaching and learning opportunities for Indigenous youth in the Peruvian Andes, 4) the impact of international community engagement and service learning programs on developing students as global change agents, and 5) collaboratively developing culturally-grounded e-learning opportunities with rural Indigenous communities. In 2016, she co-founded Centro Educativo Pallata Ayllu (Pallata Community Education Center), a non-governmental organization that facilitates access to culturally-grounded and community-driven educational opportunities for Indigenous children and adults in the Peruvian Andes.
Dr. Johnson has received numerous awards for her teaching and advising, including the 2024 UK Great Teacher Award, the 2023 NACADA Global Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award, the 2023 NACADA Region 3 Excellence in Advising Award, and the 2022 Ken Freedman Outstanding Faculty Advisor Award. She also serves as Deputy Editor of the American Journal of Education and as an editorial board member of the Review of Educational Research.
A proud first-generation college student from Appalachian Ohio and West Virginia, Dr. Johnson earned a dual-title PhD in Higher Education and Comparative & International Education from the Pennsylvania State University, an MS in Higher Education from UK, and BAs in English, French, and Secondary Education from Marshall University. Prior to coming to UK, Dr. Johnson was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Cincinnati, a Postdoctoral Scholar at McGill University (Canada), and an Instructor of Higher Education at Penn State. She has also worked with UK Transformative Learning, International Student and Scholar Services, and Education Abroad.
She drinks too much coffee, is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan, a cat lover, a proud Slytherin, and an escape room extraordinaire.
Research: Higher Education, International Education, Qualitative Methodology, Curriculum Design, Diversity in Education, Educational Leadership, Social Justice