Johnny Lechner
John A. "Johnny" Lechner[1] is an American film and television actor who received media attention as a perpetual student at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. He appeared as Alan Reese on the Showtime television series Girls of Sunset Place (2012)[2][3] and as Greg "Fossil" Karanowski in the film Fraternity House.[4]
Education and media attention
[edit]After graduating from Waukesha North High School in 1994, Lechner attended UW–Waukesha for one year and then transferred to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.[5]
In 2006, The Badger Herald reported that Lechner, then 29, was preparing to graduate from UW–Whitewater after 12 years of college with three majors and three minors.[6] He remained enrolled after that; in 2009, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that a UW–Whitewater spokeswoman said Lechner had not graduated and had not applied for graduation.[7] In 2010, Lechner announced that he had transferred to a college in California.[8]
At Whitewater, Lechner won a campus "Big Man on Campus" beauty pageant;[5] studied abroad in Paris, London, Amsterdam, Rome, Florence, Venice, Switzerland, and South Africa;[9][10] and ran for student body president.[5][11] He appeared on The Bob and Tom Show, Late Show with David Letterman, and Good Morning America;[11] was named one of People magazine's "Hot Bachelors";[12] and appeared in films including Minor League: A Football Story and Fraternity House.[10][13]
In 2021, Lechner told The Michigan Daily that he had graduated from college.[14]
The "Johnny Lechner rule"
[edit]A Wisconsin Board of Regents policy doubled full-time tuition for University of Wisconsin System students who exceeded 165 credits, or had 30 credits more than their degree required. Media coverage referred to the policy as the "Johnny Lechner rule".[6][5][11]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Lechner, John A". University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
- ↑ "Girls of Sunset Place (2012)". Plex. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Keira Gets Shafted – Girls of Sunset Place". Kinorium. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Fraternity House". Apple TV. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Erickson, Doug (7 April 2005). "The Real World Can Wait". Wisconsin State Journal.
- 1 2 Maternowski, Kate (20 April 2006). "Lechner aims to graduate, finally". The Badger Herald. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ Durhams, Sharif (18 May 2009). "A cap and gown for UW-Whitewater's perpetual student?". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "May 15th 2010". 15 May 2010. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ↑ "Career Student Up for 13th Year". The New York Times. Associated Press. 11 May 2006.
- 1 2 Welch, Chris (9 August 2009). "He's Making Movies, But Don't Count on a 'Graduate' Remake". Wisconsin State Journal.
- 1 2 3 Dillon, Sam (10 November 2005). "For One Student, a College Career Becomes a Career". The New York Times.
- ↑ "They Really, Really Need a Woman". People. 26 June 2006. Retrieved 16 April 2010.
- ↑ "Fraternity House". Deskpop Entertainment. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ Rauwerda, Annie (4 August 2021). "How to get excited for college again after the pandemic". The Michigan Daily. Retrieved 10 July 2025.