Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

The legacy of Sally Bevan Johnson is felt everywhere on the IUP campus.  From the time she arrived at the Indiana Normal School as a 14-year-old student in 1918 she was a tireless champion of what eventually became IUP and worked hard to enable the university to achieve the status it enjoys today.

Johnson first established her bond with the school in her athletic pursuits. She was a guard on the basketball team and also participated in gymnastics and modern dance and served as president of the Women's Athletic Association.

She went on to attend the New Haven School of Gymnastics and earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from the American College of Physical Education in Chicago. But Indiana, Pa., was never far from her mind.

After marrying her husband, Ward Johnson, Sally returned home and was a substitute teacher at Indiana High School from 1925-32 and 1937-42. She also worked at the department of public assistance and volunteered in the Indiana community, including work for the Red Cross during World War II.

But her biggest passion remained the hometown university. She was a member of the board of trustees from 1954-56 and from 1949-58 she was chairperson of the alumni projects committee, which was responsible for many alumni gifts to the ISTC.

One of the most important jobs she undertook was her work in saving historic John Sutton Hall, the oldest surviving building on the IUP campus, from imminent destruction. She also worked to save Breezedale, the current home of the IUP Alumni Office, from a similar fate.

Johnson was active in the General Alumni Association and had a term as its president from 1947-49. She was also a charter member of the Phi Mu alumnae group of Indiana and held the office of president and served as a member of its advisory committee for the local chapter.

For her distinguished service toward the high standards and ideals for which the college stood, Johnson was honored with the ISTC General Alumni Association Award in 1958.

In 1984, the newest campus building at the time was christened Sally B. Johnson Hall, the honor coming 10 years after Johnson passed away at the age of 69.
Her two children - Alice and David -continued her tradition of public service. David, who passed away earlier this year, was on the IUP Council of Trustees for almost three decades.