Blacksmithing is not a skill most young people have experience with, but Seth Johnson learned the basics of it in the Scouts program. In doing so, he discovered that he finds it “rewarding to completely change an object that many would consider very difficult to work with into something new.”
While working at Frattalone’s Home & Hardware in 2022, Johnson had two co-workers who were Dunwoody students at the time.
“At work, they would tell me about Dunwoody and bring in their projects for me to see,” he said.
Combine these two experiences and enrolling in the College’s Welding & Metal Fabrication two-year degree program made sense to Johnson.
A Plymouth student who graduated from Ignite Christian Academy in 2024, Johnson has thrived at Dunwoody during the past two years. So much so that the Alumni Board of Managers selected him to receive the Student Leadership Award for 2026.
Not only has Johnson done well academically, he has also volunteered outside the classroom. As Becs Wells, former Assistant Professor of Robotics & Manufacturing, and Alex Wong, Director of Advanced Manufacturing & Welding, noted in their award nomination, Johnson served as president of the Weld Club, as as a welder for Dunwoody’s BAJA team and Super Mileage team.
“In each of these roles, Seth demonstrates reliability, technical proficiency, teamwork, and leadership,” Wells wrote. “He is often the first to volunteer when help is needed and consistently ensures that projects move forward successfully.”
Johnson also tutored other welding students in SolidWorks, frequently spoke to groups touring the campus and other prospective students, has served as a leader and mentor in his local Scouting Group, and volunteers at his church.
Although Johnson’s many efforts in and out of the classroom contributed to his selection for the Student Leadership Award, his dedication to learning the craft of welding and metal fabrication was no less impressive.
“I love the satisfaction of building something starting with an idea and ending with a finished product to be proud of,” he said. “Welding is a craft that can be learned quickly but takes many years to perfect.”
For his SolidWorks final at the end of his first year, the assignment was to create a design in SolidWorks (which is a piece of 3D modeling software) and then fabricate it in the Welding Lab.
“I took on the ambitious endeavor of building a dragonfly,” he said. “I used scrap tools and fasteners to construct the dragonfly. It is now used as an example project for the class.”
Johnson discovered that his passion for his trade also extends beyond making things.
“Through my time at Dunwoody, I have learned valuable lessons in learning how to teach others,” he said. “People learn in different ways, and it is important to adapt to those learning styles. I have also learned that you always have something to learn from everybody else. We all do our work in special ways. Never stop asking questions and observing how others work.”
Johnson credits his teachers for being a role model on how to learn and teach. “A big inspiration for me is Jim Svenningsen, my welding instructor during my first semester,” he said. “Jim is a fantastic person who truly cares for the success of his students. Jim is constantly finding new ways to improve his teaching methods and curriculum.”
After graduation, Johnson has been working at Johnson Screens in New Brighton, where he “fabricates water well screens and industrial separation equipment, which make up the critical infrastructure for water treatment, chemical processing and food production.”
In addition to his volunteer activities, Johnson spends his free time fishing, hiking, and repairing broken tools.
He also has plans for the future, including becoming a certified welding inspector and returning to Dunwoody at some point in the future for a bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering Technology.