When Oakland University senior Marcus Johnson opened the letter notifying him of his selection to receive the Keeper of the Dream Award, his tentative nervousness gave way to both joy and surprise.

“I let out a very large, loud squeal,” said Johnson, who had not spent the week after his award application interview expecting to receive the honor. “I had kind of resolved myself to, ‘I probably didn’t get it.’ I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”

The annual Keeper of the Dream Award honors students who advance interracial understanding, break down cultural stereotypes and promote unity across the OU campus, in the spirit of the late civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Established in 1993, the award recognizes scholarship, citizenship and campus leadership and includes a monetary scholarship for recipients.

Johnson, a double major in political science and public administration and policy, was among several student leaders selected for the 2026 class of honorees. As president of the Oakland University Student Congress, he has made amplifying marginalized voices a cornerstone of his leadership.

“My biggest priority is always ensuring that students understand and feel that their interests are being communicated to the necessary people,” Johnson said. “I strive to make sure that students, especially underseen and marginalized students, understand that there are people on this campus who see them, are there for them and support them.”

He said the recognition fuels his commitment to service. While he expressed his excitement at the honor, he affirmed he has no intention of placing his pursuit of progress on pause.

“Honestly, [the award] gives me more of a drive to keep on doing what I’ve been doing,” Johnson said. “When receiving acknowledgement and recognition that the work is seen… it gives me an even stronger drive to continue what we were already doing to make the campus a better place.”

As OUSC president, Johnson’s work has also focused on ensuring student interests are communicated effectively to administration. One recent initiative he spearheaded includes the campuswide menstrual product program, which OU Student Congress helped to institutionalize after years of advocacy.

“We have dispensers in all of the women’s and gender-neutral restrooms on campus, excepting the housing buildings, [which are coordinated differently]” Johnson said. “Students who may need the products can access them at any moment. Being able to make that progress… it felt really good.”

He has also worked to create intentional spaces for diverse voices, such as VOICE committees — Valuing Our Identities and Cultural Equities — where students from marginalized communities can help shape policy discussions.

Johnson said his leadership philosophy emphasizes listening — a value he credits to mentor Glenn McIntosh, who taught him that “leadership is oftentimes more about listening than talking.”

Balancing academics with his responsibilities as Student Congress president are a challenge he takes seriously, rooted foremost in his understanding of his dual roles as both a scholar and a leader.

“Something I try to do… is to make sure you remember that you’re a student first,” Johnson said. “After all, it is ‘Student’ Congress. We have to prioritize our responsibilities as students.”

He also reflected on the significance of representation within the OUSC framework and across campus. Johnson is the first African American student body president at Oakland University in nearly 20 years, a perspective he brings to his work promoting inclusion and belonging.

“I know what it’s like to be in a space and not be able to recognize yourself in it,” Johnson said. “I want to make sure that the students here don’t have to go through that, and that they can see themselves in campus leadership.”

Looking ahead, Johnson said receiving the Keeper of the Dream Award has reaffirmed his professional goals just as it has his approach to leadership duties.

“I’ve learned that the moment you stop, the work stops with you, and you don’t want to lose the momentum you’ve already built,” Johnson said. “Once you reach one goal, you push the goalpost down, and now you’ve got to work toward another one.”