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thePeorian.com
The Present
Methodist would prefer to re-
main in the downtown area, but
recognizes that may not be easy
if it must build a new structure. It
could look for an existing build-
ing, but often retrofitting an older
building to its needs can be even
more expensive than building
new, she said.
At this point, the college is
thinking it would prefer to sepa-
rate its academics and residence
hall. With that in mind, it could
keep part of it in the existing
building. While old, Johnston
said, “our corporate parent has
made the investment needed to
maintain this structure very well.
We’ve done quite a bit of renova-
tion. It has served our purpose
very well, but we are starting to
outgrow it.”
Methodist College also wants
to make sure it remains com-
petitive from a cost standpoint.
Currently tuition is $587 per
credit, which Johnston said is
competitive. “It’s tough for a
not-for-profit, private institu-
tion because we receive no state
subsidies. But we believe we are
attractive to students who know
the value of a nursing and health
sciences degree. There are many,
many things a person with that
degree, that training can do to
make themselves a commodity
because they know about assess-
ment, intervention and so forth,”
she said.
Johnston learned that herself
when she started having second
thoughts about her career choice,
nursing, as a student at Penn
State University. It was then she
realized there was more a nurse
could do than bedside care. She
found out she liked teaching so
she earned her master’s degree
and Ph.D, finally going into ad-
ministration. She came to Peoria
after being offered the dean’s po-
sition at Methodist College about
seven years ago and she soon was
named president of the college.
She viewed coming here from
eastern Pennsylvania as acknowl-
edgement she needed something
different. “I couldn’t see myself
transplanting at first but I’d
reached a point at my previous
job where I couldn’t go any fur-
ther. I wanted something differ-
ent, so I decided transplanting to
the Midwest would certainly be
something different,” she said.
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