GovState President Cheryl Green retires leaving 'a legacy of love'
“Under His guidance, I continued to ascend stairs and sit in chairs that many Black Women have been told they’re ineligible to see. I mean, for real, how many Sistas do you know that are presidents of a university?"
From Staff Reports
It was an emotional, daylong celebration for Governors State University (GovState) President Dr. Cheryl Green, the University’s sixth president who will retire on March 1, 2025.
From state and local elected officials to pink-and-green-clad sorority sisters, a community of family, friends and colleagues gathered at two events with resolve, resolutions and tributes for Green's commitment to higher education manifested through a career that spanned more than three decades and at least as many states.
“Dr. Green, your legacy will echo in the lives of students who walk these halls, in the faculty and staff who worked alongside you, and in the community,” said Student Senate President Xavier Thompson, who spoke at the campus celebration and then joined more than 200 guests for an evening event to celebrate Green’s retirement and to raise money for the endowed Dr. Cheryl F. Green Scholarship for Societal Impact.
“You reminded us that universities are more than institutions. They're communities built on shared dreams and the belief in the power of education to change lives,’’ Thompson said.
Joining Thompson at the campus celebration were faculty, staff and colleagues from as far away as the D.C. area. Austin Lane, Chancellor of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, joined the celebration of his fellow Saluki.
Also paying homage to Green's early career days was Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, President of Chicago State University where Green served for two decades in a variety of roles, including director/chair of the counseling department, dean of first-year students, acting associate director of career placement, and tenured associate professor of counseling. “We claim her first,” Scott told guests.
For her drive to champion education for the underserved, GovState’s Josh Allen, Vice President of Human Resources, recited a poem to Dr. Green. GovState Chief of Staff Janelle Crowley then presented a gold ring from the 10-member cabinet.
“May this ring remind you well of the stories only time can tell,
Of challenges met with grace and might, a vision's turn from dark to light
Wear proud as you depart, this emblem of your leader's art,
Your legacy and metal cast, our gratitude from first to last.”
In a video message, Governor JB Pritzker congratulated Dr. Green on a successful tenure and “a tremendously impactful career.” Several local and national elected officials presented proclamations and resolutions in person.
Poet and GovState Student Amber Whitted reflected on Dr. Green's impact as she rose from a daughter of Chicago's South Side to the uncommon rank of Black, female university president.
Speaking as Green's alter ego in her piece, “This Road I Walk," looked back over Green's 36-year career. “Under His guidance, I continued to ascend stairs and sit in chairs that many Black Women have been told they’re ineligible to see. I mean, for real, how many Sistas do you know that are presidents of a university?"
Closing out the day, Lisa Merchant Harrell looked back at the beginning of Dr. Green's tenure at GovState. Harrell served as Chair of the Board of Trustees when Dr. Green was hired in 2020, making history as the University’s first African American president. Moreover, Green assumed power at the height of a pandemic.
Speaking directly to a tearful Dr. Green as others listened in, Harrell mentioned an uncommon passion to serve and advance a vision for social justice.
“The legacy you leave will not be the legacy that people may see outwardly. Yes, the accomplishments you have under your belt, from the Social Justice Center to (creating) a new way in which we may teach leading us through COVID, but what people don't see readily, and what I got to see intimately, is a legacy of love.”