*FHS ROCKS! Class of 2004
By Emily Temple Johnson
April 2, 2026
The University of Oregon College of Education Family and Human Services (FHS) program gave me a grounding in professional competencies and systems thinking that has shaped every role I’ve held since. I’ve rested on that foundation as a parent, a youth pastor, a middle school teacher, a nonprofit leader, and now in my work back at the University of Oregon in the Center for Childhood Safety and Wellbeing. When I reflect on the impact FHS has had on my life, it’s almost hard to identify an area it hasn’t touched.
As a lifelong resident of Eugene—and a seventh-generation Lane County resident—one of the most transformative parts of my FHS experience was being introduced to the ecosystem of agencies that support children and families in our community. My field experiences at Head Start of Lane County, Family Relief Nursery, and in local youth ministry didn’t just build my résumé; they clarified my purpose. They helped solidify my professional desire to support children and the adults who care for them.
I also learned from many professors whose influence still echoes in my thinking today—among them Dan Close, Jeff Todahl, Shoshana Kerewsky, and Benedict McWhirter. Their expertise in interventions, research, nonprofit leadership, child development, and family systems taught me something foundational: listening to children is not only powerful—it is essential.
One takeaway I still hear in their voices is this: every person is a beautiful and complex result of their individual, relational, institutional, communal, and political realities.
I graduated with a guiding commitment—less a slogan, more a responsibility. Use whatever influence I have to strengthen children’s wellbeing, from one-on-one relationships all the way up to the systems and policies that shape their lives. Be a trusted adult who listens. Build authentic relationships. Create organizations that advocate for safety and dignity. Stay engaged in the decisions that impact kids. And yes, Dr. Close, never shake a baby.
Today, I apply that commitment as an Associate Director in the Center for Childhood Safety and Wellbeing and the Associate Director of Cultivate School and Community Learning Collaborative. I’m proud to contribute alongside colleagues doing incredible work. I also continue serving my community on the Board of Directors for Lane County Youth for Christ and Parent Life supporting expectant and parenting teens.
I’m deeply grateful to FHS—and to the faculty, staff, and students who continue to learn, listen, and do this work with intentionality and care.
*Do they still say that?? We used to shout that in unison on our first day on campus!