From day one, Angel Johnson’s ’26 college journey has been about bringing people together. Her studies – a major in political science and a minor in social work – are, by design, built on the pillars of policy, advocacy, and giving a voice to those who society often struggles to hear. Now, in her final semester here at Valpo, Angel looks back on a collegiate chapter richly laden with each of those values.
Angel’s calling to help others was something she fully embraced as a child. “Ever since I was three years old, I wanted to be a lawyer. As I grew older, that passion became more about policy and the execution of policy, so that is where my focus is,” she says. As part of her social work minor, Angel had the opportunity to participate in the program’s annual Leadership Education Across Departments (LEAD) trip to the Indiana Statehouse. There, students testify and lobby for bills they want to see passed – either by supporting an existing bill, or introducing their own. “That [trip] was very influential for me, because I was actually testifying for a bill… It felt like I was actually doing something, you know? When you do stuff in school, you might not feel like what you’re doing is important, but actually going out and doing it… I was like, ‘Wow, this is something I might want to do.’”
That same mindset – going out in the community and creating the change you want to see – has led to an enrichment of countless areas of our campus. Angel has brought key values, like community-building and leadership, into Student Senate, our Pi Sigma Alpha political science honor society, and Northwest Indiana via the tutoring services she provides with Porter County Juvenile Services. At the intersection of it all: Angel’s tenure with Valpo’s Black Student Organization (BSO) – an award-winning student organization dedicated to addressing the needs and interests of Valpo’s Black student population, and fostering a supportive and empowering community through cultural, educational, and social programming.
“I wanted to join BSO because the students who were leading it at the time made it really fun for us. It was also the only space on campus where I could spend time with people that look like me,” Angel shares. From there, her sense of community flourished into a desire to lead. She served as committee chair for two years, lending a hand to leadership and learning about the different roles each member of BSO’s executive board contributed. At the start of her senior year, she stepped into the vice president position. Her goal: to keep some of BSO’s most impactful traditions going and add some of her own. “I really wanted to be part of this group making fun things happen on campus. We’re doing events for Black History Month, and host We Matter Week… And I felt those things were really important to have. I wanted to keep those traditions going. So, I felt like it was important for me to get involved and see what I could contribute,” Angel says.
BSO hosts countless events throughout the academic year that are open to all members of Valpo’s community, including We Matter Week and the Black Excellence Expo. One event that Angel is particularly proud of is the organization’s annual Welcome Back BBQ. “It’s the event that we get the most turnout,” she explains. “We gave away school supplies, like notebooks and pens, had trivia, and had free food. It took a lot of planning and I’m really proud of the work we put into it. Not just the event itself, but how we bring our mission and vision statement to the forefront of all that we do. Because these events are important for building our community and helping all of our members meet each other and know each other on a more personal level.”
This year’s Black History Month itinerary is no different. All of BSO’s activities are designed to honor Black history and culture – from a Soul Food Brunch to an on-campus screening of 2025 film “Sinners.” “By seeing Black culture, you’re embracing Black culture. You are loving Black culture – just by giving it your eyesight. Like with our Guess the Song competition, a lot of those songs are important to our community, and a lot of other people might not know them. With our Soul Food Brunch, that’s very important to us because soul food is important to Black culture.”
Another event Angel is looking forward to is BSO’s annual Poetry Slam with Latinos in Valparaiso For Excellence (L.I.V.E.), another student organization on campus. “This will be our second year doing the Poetry Slam, and I hope they keep doing it because it’s such a fun, collaborative event. We always have a great turnout and people will bring in all kinds of poetry. Some people will rap, or bring spoken word, and others will read actual poetry… And other stuff, too.”
These events are open to all members of Valpo’s community. It’s the perfect opportunity for students, staff, and professors to learn more about Black history and culture, and one Angel encourages her peers to take advantage of. “What Black History Month mean to me? Everything… It’s hard to articulate, really. It’s a month about celebrating and learning more about people who look like me and things that we’ve experienced, and all of the strides people have taken to get us where we are today,” Angel says. “Some days, I wake up and I don’t feel like going to class, or doing something else, and people long before me fought to make sure I can experience things like this. So, I truly take Black History Month as a time to be appreciative if Black history and everything that I have.”
How can you get involved? If you’re not able to attend any of BSO’s Black History Month events, there’s a door that Angel reminds us is always open: “Educate yourself. Anything that you find interesting, take a deeper look into it. We may have all learned a little bit about Rosa Parks, for example, but there are so many ways you can learn more about her, and so many others, in new and deeper ways.” You don’t have to go far to learn more a little bit more about how Black excellence has shaped our world; Angel references a photo in Wesemann Hall of the late Lou Jean Bray ’60 Walton, an award-winning professor and social work department chair who was one of the first Black students to attend Valpo and the first Black woman to receive tenure from Valparaiso University.
“Black History Month isn’t just about Black people,” Angel continues. “It’s more than just being Black. During the month, we might look into social and political activists who advocated for the rights of other minorities – or look at things and inventions throughout history that make our world go ‘round that we can attribute to Black people. There are so many ways you can get involved with it.”
If you’re interested in joining BSO, learning more about the organization’s impact on Valpo’s campus, or attending one of this year’s Black History Month events, follow BSO on social media and visit valpo.edu/bso.
