Guided by Remarkable Women

When Clint Johnson ’64 looks back on his time at Rice, he remembers more than just his economics classes. He recalls inspiring professors, attending class in the basement of Fondren Library and developing the deep appreciation for a liberal arts education that has shaped his life. “Rice taught me how to distinguish fact from fiction,” he says. “It gave me an enthusiasm for knowledge across disciplines, and that’s something I’ve carried with me ever since.”

Clint grew up in West Texas and chose what was then the Rice Institute partly because of its affordability. When Clint graduated from Rice University, he left with a strong foundation for a 40-year career teaching economics at the University of Central Arkansas.

That foundation, and the gratitude it inspired, has guided his philanthropy. Clint has established two endowed funds at Rice to support undergraduate research in the School of Social Sciences, both created in memory of women who shaped his life and education.

The first, the Elizabeth Johnson Duncan Endowment for Undergraduate Research in the Social Sciences, honors his aunt, who helped make his graduate education possible through a small inheritance. “She wasn’t a Rice graduate, but she was a trailblazer,” Clint says, noting that she was one of the very few women in the engineering program at the University of Texas in the 1910s. “Her gift to me made graduate school financially possible. I wanted to remember her in a way that would help future students.”

This year, Clint created a second endowment in memory of his mother, Nell Graston Johnson, a teacher and counselor whom he credits with instilling in him patience, resilience and a love of learning. This gift, funded through a qualified charitable distribution from his IRA, also supports undergraduate research in the social sciences. “We are always told to honor one’s mother,” he reflects. “My mother had the burden of raising an only child, and I wanted to recognize her influence in my life.”

Both endowments provide vital resources for Rice students to travel, attend conferences and share their research with peers and professionals. Clint takes pride in knowing his gifts now help students engage in the kind of scholarship that first inspired him at Rice.

Accelerate the Vision

Endowed gifts like Clint Johnson’s expand research opportunities for Rice students and strengthen the university for generations to come.To make an impact, contact Angelica Zimmerman, senior director of development, at angelica.zimmerman@rice.edu or 713-348- 3527.