The Cronkite graduate combines photojournalism with sustainability and design

Donovan Johnson has a passion for photography, sustainability and design.

That passion has driven Johnson to excel as a student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he will graduate in May with his bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communication with a minor in design studies. Johnson will receive the Top Innovator award at the Cronkite School convocation.

Johnson’s love for photojournalism deepened when he traveled to the Ecuadorian Amazon with Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability last May. Johnson traveled with the other students as part of a study abroad program to document their experiences while learning more about the Kichwa and Waorani communities.

“It was the craziest experience of my entire life,” Johnson said. “I came back and was able to organize a photo exhibition and give back money to the organization that housed us in the Amazon.”

Johnson organized a photo exhibition through om*, a creative agency he co-owns. He raised money with the event to give back and promote sustainability research in the Amazon rainforest and the Iyarina Center for Learning, a non-profit organization that promotes learning and research on indigenous knowledge and sustainability for the future of the Ecuadorian Amazon.

“I’m from Surprise, Arizona. When I went to the Amazon rainforest, my eyes were completely open. That experience as a photographer is extremely rewarding,” he said.

Johnson recently reflected on his time at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and his interests in design and sustainability.

Ask: What was your “aha” moment when you realized you wanted to study the field you were studying in?

Answer: I took a class in my second year of high school. It was a journalism course and at first I didn’t want to stay in it. My teacher said to me, “You know, you have a talent for it, maybe you should try competing in the yearbook.” At first I wanted to do student council and she convinced me, so I went to this camp this summer. It looked like yearbook camp. It was super nerdy. We went out and designed the magazine for a week at San Diego State University. At that point it was just basic curation – a lot of magazine design, using typography, choosing fonts and colors – and then I realized it was graphic design. I loved design and eventually photography became part of one of the classes I took.

Q: Why did you choose ASU?

A: I chose ASU because they offered one of the best journalism programs in the country. It was also close to home for me, so it felt like a no-brainer. Although I am not a traditional journalist, the skills I gained in camera operations, Adobe Creative Suite, digital marketing and networking at Cronkite have undoubtedly prepared me for my professional career.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while attending ASU?

A: Emmanuel Lozano. He was one of my photojournalism professors, and he taught me a lot about photography and helped me grow as a photographer, because I consider myself a pretty opinionated person. So he could give me criticism to make me a better photographer. I’m calling him out, but there’s also a professor from my design course, William Heywood. He teaches a class called creative environment. It’s super interesting because he taught me a lot more about the creative side of things, prioritizing yourself, putting your well-being first, being creative and how to live it out.

Q: What is the best advice you would give to people still in school?

A: At this point in school you can be as creative as you want and build something for yourself. There are no boxes, there is no one telling you to do it a certain way. When you do these projects, make sure you invest in them because if you anchor yourself in what you create, people will resonate with it.

Q: What was your favorite place on campus, to study, meet friends or just think about life?

A: I really like Fusion on First because that’s where I live. I’ve had the opportunity to work with the ASU Popular Music program as a photographer and videographer and see how that community works. That space is really a creative space and so are the flex spaces down there. That’s my favorite place to work and collaborate.

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: I’m working on the Carnegie-Knight News21 fellowship this summer. And then I have my own creative agency that me and my boyfriend founded called om*. We do photography, videography, graphic design, live DJ events, production, music production and it’s all in-house. That’s something I’m looking forward to after my studies, growing my own business and learning more and more at the same time.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: The task I would solve with that money is to provide more informal education to students who learn differently and are involved in the creative industries. That’s the only way we’re going to change the world. That is the best way to innovate. It invests in the generation that comes after us.