Schreyer Honors College Dean Peggy A. Johnson announced her plans to retire next year in an email to the college’s students Wednesday.

According to her letter, Johnson’s retirement will begin on August 15, 2021.

Johnson said she is planning the next phase of her life “with mixed feelings” but enjoyed her time at Schreyer greatly.

“This position has been a highlight of my 30-year career as a professor!” Johnson wrote. “I am fortunate to have worked with so many dedicated faculty and staff that have helped continue to grow and develop what is one of the nation’s top honors programs, and I am confident that the University will find a worthy successor to help lead the faculty, staff, students, and the College into the future.”

Johnson added she looks forward to her remaining time with students and “many more years of adventure” in the future.

“The joy of the job is that I could truly focus on a group of really amazing Penn State students and the staff that supports the college,” Johnson said. “One of the things I really appreciate about these students is that they are not just smart; they’re very worldly in their thinking. They think about how it’s all going to fit together not only in terms of their careers but how it fits into the greater society.”

Johnson, who holds a doctorate degree in civil engineering, became Schreyer’s dean in July 2017. She joined Penn State’s faculty in 1996 and was appointed department head of Penn State’s Civil and Environmental Engineering program in 2006, where she served for nine years.

“As dean of the Schreyer Honors College, Peggy has advanced Penn State’s already stellar reputation for offering students a premier honors education,” Nick Jones, executive vice president and provost, said. “Peggy has had a tremendous positive impact as a dean and as a Penn State faculty member for nearly 25 years. I’m very grateful for her longtime service to the University in multiple leadership roles and wish her all the best.”

More than 1,950 students are currently enrolled in Schreyer, which was founded in 1980 and eventually renamed in 1997.