Ashley Johnson ’26 finds motivation in her own family health journey

Ashley Johnson ’26 arrived at Furman with a plan, and the discipline to adjust it when life intervened. A molecular biology and applied mathematics double major with a data analytics minor, Johnson built a demanding academic path around a clear goal: medical school.

“The plan has always been medicine,” she said. “I’ve just been trying to set myself up for the most success in that way.”

Originally drawn to Furman for its cross-country program, Johnson pivoted after health challenges ended her running career in high school. What remained was a campus that matched her academic ambition and a flexibility of learning that allowed her to pursue multiple majors while diving headfirst into research and pre-med experiences. Within her first month, she joined Associate Professor of Biology Jason Rawlings’ immunology lab, beginning a two-year research experience that helped shape her interests in infectious disease and immune response.

Ashley Johnson presents her project called “Predicting for Weight Class via Statistical Model Comparison” at Furman Engaged on the afternoon Friday, April 17th, 2026 in Timmons Arena. Shot for a Senior Spotlight story.

That early access defined her Furman journey. Johnson volunteered at Prisma Health, secured shadowing and clinical internships and studied abroad in both Portugal and Sweden, where she examined health systems and grew personally.

“Literally the world is your oyster,” she said of the undergraduate experience. “You can do whatever internship you want, you can do whatever research you want and Furman will be there to fund you and help you.”

Mentorship played a central role along the way. Rawlings became a key influence, alongside William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Biology Min-Ken Liao and her mathematics advisor and professor Kevin Hutson. Johnson also credits John Banisaukas, director of pre-professional advising and chief heath careers advisor, for helping her navigate clinical opportunities. Those relationships, she said, set Furman apart.

“I really think it’s just the connections that I have with the professors,” she said. “They became friends and advocates as much as teachers.”

Her academic and clinical experiences reinforced a patient-centered approach to medicine. Time in the ICU at Prisma, in particular, shaped her perspective. “It’s not only the needs of the patient that matter, but the needs of the families,” she said.

Now, Johnson’s work has translated into results. She earned multiple medical school acceptances and plans to continue her training with an eye toward infectious disease and immunology, while remaining open to discovery.

A discovery, she admitted, would not have happened without first leaving a home in Colorado and finding her path and passions at Furman.