Rhonda Johnson retires from HFC after 20 years as bursar
Rhonda Johnson, the HFC bursar, says one of her proudest accomplishments at the College is helping new and returning students register for classes outside normal Monday-Friday business hours. One of the initiatives she and others championed is called Super Saturday, a half-day, once-per-semester online event that provides a variety of enrollment-related services in one place for incoming students.
“Super Saturday happens every winter and fall semester,” said Johnson. “I’m proud of that. And I’m proud of the career development opportunities I created for my teams at the College.”
Johnson has worked at HFC since 2005. She plans to retire on July 31, 2025.
“I am ready to start a new chapter in my life,” said Johnson.
Similar to a “mini-bank”
A lifelong Detroiter, Johnson is the third of 14 children. She has been married to Leon Johnson since 2009, and they have a blended family of six children and five grandchildren.
Johnson is a graduate of Kettering Senior High School in Detroit. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Wayne State University and her MBA in finance from Madonna University.
Prior to HFC, Johnson was the Chief Academic Officer at Woodward Academy in Detroit. She also worked at NBD Bank for 26 years before its restructuring in 1999.
“I was attracted to HFC when I spotted a position that was related to my previous career in banking and education,” she said. “I had the opportunity to run a sort of ‘mini-bank’ at the College.”
Johnson’s supervisor is HFC Director of Financial Accounting Ryan Leright, who joined HFC in mid-May. Previously, she reported to Executive Director of Financial Services and Financial Aid Kevin Culler, who retired from the College in December 2024.
"HFC is losing a great bursar in Rhonda,” said Leright. “She ran an efficient and impactful operation that touched every student at HFC. Her leadership and guidance have made my short time at HFC much easier, and I thank her for everything that she has given to the College. I wish her nothing but the best in her retirement."
Rewarding to see students and employees succeed
In her position as bursar, Johnson oversees the Cashier, sponsor billing, and collections.
“The best part of my job is when my staff are promoted to higher positions ,” said Johnson. “My previous staff members are all over the HFC campus. It’s the people I will miss the most. I have met some wonderful people at the College whom I count as my friends.”
HFC Payroll Manager Dina Fonseca spoke highly of Johnson.
“I’m thankful for our shared experience at Ellucian conferences and the time spent getting to know each other,” said Fonseca. “It became apparent that Rhonda is very inclusive, friendly, kind, and talkative. Her friendliness and knowledge will be greatly missed.”
HFC Assistant Manager, Office of Student Accounts Sharon McAlpine has worked for Johnson since 2009.
“One of the qualities I admire most about Rhonda is her ability to be a straight shooter. Her directness, honesty, and transparency create an environment where expectations are clear, communication is open, and trust is built naturally,” said McAlpine. “I would like to thank Rhonda for being someone we can count on to tell it like it is – with respect, purpose, and authenticity.”
For Johnson, the best part of working at HFC has been student success.
“That is the reason I have stayed for so long,” she said. “It is very gratifying and very rewarding to see when students are equipped to move ahead in life because of their educational journey.”
A note about retiree stories
We value the contributions of all our retirees. When we become aware of a colleague's official intent to retire, we reach out to them to ask if we can write a story about them, to share their contributions and allow others to recognize and appreciate them. Some of our retirees decline to participate in the retiree story series. We respect their wishes and their privacy. If there is a retiree whom you want to see recognized in this series, you can talk to that person, or reach out to HFC Communications. We will let you know if the person has declined to have a story published. In some cases, we might not be aware of their plans to retire.
—HFC Marketing and Communications