Throughout much of her time in high school, Anastasia Johnson had it in the back of her mind that she would take a shot at success in the world of professional ballet. It’s a tough road, but she loved dancing and performing. Then she injured her back and was presented with a challenge that many professional dancers who get derailed by injury face: what do I do now that I can no longer do the thing I thought was going to define the next decade or more of my life? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As she reached the end of her time at Maple Grove High School, Johnson’s obvious move was to go to college. But to do what? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson grew up around family and friends who worked in the skilled trades and was open to that route. Her dad specifically recommended welding. The idea of learning a skilled trade that is in high demand and offers good pay appealed to her, so she decided to check out some schools that offered welding training. She liked what she found when she attended an open house at Dunwoody and enrolled in the Welding & Metal Fabrication program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I chose Dunwoody because of its reputation,” Johnson said. “Everyone knows someone who has gone to Dunwoody, and we have a very good reputation, especially in the trades. I chose to go into welding because I am a tactile learner, and I really wanted to work with my hands and actually make things.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also liked the idea of a trade that also allows her to be creative. And based on her ballet training, she was confident she would be able to take constructive criticism and use it to improve her craft as a welder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I have always liked working with my hands,” Johnson said. “I also am a very artistic person, and I can be very artistic with hands-on work like welding.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, it’s not a surprise, really, that Johnson discovered she both enjoyed welding and was good at it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, so good at it that Johnson was both selected as an Academic Excellence Award recipient and as student speaker for Dunwoody’s Commencement ceremony on May 26, 2026, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“With a 4.0 GPA and near perfect attendance, she doesn\u2019t just meet expectations \u2014 she exceeds them, because to her, ‘good enough’ is never enough,” said Becs Wells, Assistant Professor, Robotics & Manufacturing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wells also noted that it wasn\u2019t just that Johnson excelled as an individual: she also approached the program \u201cwith a level of professionalism that raised the standard for everyone around her\u201d and that her cohort of students \u201cchose collaboration over competition.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey pushed each other, supported each other, and refused to let anyone fall behind,\u201d she said. \u201cAnastasia was a driving force in that culture \u2014 leading not by volume, but by consistency, integrity, and example\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The admiration goes both ways: Johnson cites Wells as a major inspiration to her and other female welding students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But all the acclaim doesn’t mean the path was all roses. Welding is a discipline where you can’t hide flaws. Everything is all right there in the weld. Of course, that makes for an instructive learning experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The most valuable lesson I have learned at Dunwoody is that it is OK to start over,” Johnson said. “Going to Dunwoody has given me a fresh start to be successful academically. And with the projects we work on in class, starting a project over is OK sometimes, because you now have more information to become more successful when attempting your project again.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unsurprisingly, Johnson chose an ambitious route for her capstone project: a custom bed frame. She drafted original shop prints and taught herself new fabrication processes that are required to be able to assemble the frame. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201dThe creative freedom and challenge of a new process is one of many aspects about welding and fabrication that confirm this field will not only be a job I enjoy, but a career I can grow and succeed in,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During her free time, Johnson likes to spend time with her friends, boyfriend Will, and her family, all of whom, she says have been her biggest support throughout her time at Dunwoody, especially her mom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“She is so smart and amazing and is my biggest support,” Johnson said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Johnson also selected as an Academic Excellence Winner Throughout much of her time in high school, Anastasia Johnson had it in the back of her mind that she would take a shot at success in the world of professional ballet. It’s a tough road, but she loved dancing and performing. Then she injured her back and was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":7645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[363,359],"tags":[447,80,464],"class_list":["post-7642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-excellence-award","category-commencement","tag-student-speaker","tag-welding","tag-welding-metal-fabrication"],"yoast_head":"\n