Governors State installs seventh president: Joyce C. Ester, Ph.D.
From Staff Reports
Joined by hundreds of state and local leaders, higher education partners, alumni, faculty, staff, and family, Joyce C. Ester, Ph.D. was sworn in as the seventh President of Governors State University (GovState).
This historic investiture ceremony was marked by warm reflections and inspiring stories of President Ester, her passion for higher education, and unending compassion for students. The Center for Performing Arts (The Center) where the event was held, was aglow with vibrantly colored academic regalia, warm smiles, greetings, and the expectancy that a newly sworn in president brings.
The theme of ‘returning home’ was celebrated throughout a ceremony that was also marked by references to the Southland, where President Ester spent her formative years. A native of Phoenix, Illinois, Ester said the area’s spirit remains strong. Punctuating the ceremonial adorning of the Governors State University medallion upon Ester’s shoulders, was a beautiful rendition of the song, ‘Home’ from The Wiz, sung by GovState Alumnae Amber Whitted that invoked a spirit of home and brought some to tears.
“The words and sentiment of that song,” President Ester said, “are fitting for my journey back to the Southland.”
After graduating from Thornridge High School, Ester attended Northern Illinois University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology, then moved to California. She earned a master’s degree and doctorate in Education from the University of California, Santa Barbara. It was 16 years before she would return to Illinois where she served as President at Kennedy King College, one of seven schools that comprise City Colleges of Chicago. In Minnesota’s Normandale Community College, Ester served as President for 11 years, leading the largest college in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system with more than 14,000 students.
President Ester began her tenure with Governors State University on July 1, 2025
Among those delivering remarks at the investiture were Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley, President of the Higher Learning Commission; Sean O’Brien, President of GovState Student Senate; Dr Roberta Cordano, President of Gallaudet University, an institution that serves deaf and hard of hearing students, where President Ester serves as a trustee.
All speakers noted President Ester’s integrity, leadership, and power to inspire.
Speaking through an interpreter as she signed in American Sign Language (ASL) Dr. Cordano noted she is often the “the only one of my kind in the room.”
Meeting President Ester, who is fluent in ASL, was a delight, she said.
“One day, as I sat alone, a woman sat beside me and began communicating with me in American Sign Language. I was stunned. From that moment forward, I saw her leadership, her commitment to students, and her ability to lead in higher education spheres. She connects authentically with people, she inspires transformation, and all of that begins with a deep commitment that radiates out from her… How fitting that the theme for today’s installation is coming home because Dr. Ester exemplifies that spirit -- the one of creating belonging, warmth, and a shared purpose. She also brings a sense of love -- a love for this state and this community she calls home.”
Serving as emcee of the investiture, Dr. David Conrad noted that the word investiture is taken from the Latin root investire, and is a time-honored tradition that marks the formal installation of a new university president.
“This centuries-old custom represents a major step in the life of an institution. It is an opportunity to honor our new president and reflect on our mission and values, and to envision our future together,” said Conrad, Associate Professor in the College of Education and Human Development,
Noting the season, he said an autumn investiture historically aligns with the fall harvest, symbolic of new beginnings. In centuries past, the academic year began after the harvest in accordance with the medieval calendar.
Before delivering her remarks, President Ester ceremoniously called the names of individuals who guided and shaped her for the journey that would lead to Governors State. “Home is a grounding, a place that needs no name, but your spirit knows you are there.”
The names spoken included family members, mentors, and historic figures—including Dr. Martin Henry Freeman, the first Black president of an American college, and Willa Player, the first Black woman to lead a fully accredited four-year liberal arts institution. President Ester honored Rev. J.C. Smith who pastored her childhood church where she still worships. Smith’s son, Rev. Jeffery Smith, later delivered the invocation in a lunch that followed the investiture.
Finally, President Ester called the name of her late mother, Linda Ester, whom she described as “my mom, my friend, my example. Ase,” she said, using the Yoruba and Swahili word for living energy as a word of affirmation, similar to ‘Amen,’ meaning ‘So be it.’
In another significant moment, President Ester shared how her understanding of home deepened during her recent visit to Ghana, where she was installed as a Queen Mother in the Fra-Fra community outside Accra.
“There,” she said, “I learned the Fra-Fra word for home: yeri.”
She used YERI as an acronym outlining her vision as GovState’s seventh president.
“Y — I see You. E - Economic vitality. R – Reputation. I – Innovation. My goal as president will be to operate in a manner that enhances the well-being of students, employees, and communities. Authentic relationships help us achieve our goals.”
Ester closed with a heart-felt sentiment.
“While this day is said to be about me, it is really about all of us. I look to you to work with me—and more importantly, to work with one another. Together, we will build a shared future. Together, we will make this place a true home.”
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