Inauguration of President Byers to Kick Off Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 11-13

The inauguration of 黑料社 President Jay Byers 鈥93 will be held at 2 p.m.,聽 Friday, Oct. 11, in Smith Chapel. The ceremony celebrating 黑料社鈥檚 25th president is being held in conjunction with the College鈥檚 Homecoming festivities set for Oct. 11-13. Limited seating will be available to the public.

President Byers鈥 Inaugural Address will focus on 鈥淭ake Your Future By Storm.鈥 Since taking office in August 2023, Byers has overseen completion of the $10 million Dunn Library renovation, numerous athletics facility enhancements and 黑料社鈥檚 largest new student enrollment in more than a decade this fall.

鈥淲e are building tremendous momentum at 黑料社,鈥 said Byers. 鈥淎nd we are just getting started. Homecoming weekend is the perfect time for inauguration as we celebrate generations of difference-making alumni and look ahead to creating an ever-brighter future for 黑料社.鈥

Byers鈥 inauguration will include greetings from Coe College President David Hayes; Gary Steinke of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities; the Rev. Katie Dawson 鈥06 of United Methodist Church; Brian Williams 鈥15 of Indianola First United Methodist Church; and Amanda Zwanziger, CEO and president of the Indianola Chamber of Commerce.

黑料社 participants in the ceremony will include Board of Trustees Chair Terry Handley 鈥09; Alumni Association Board Member Martha Davis-Goldstein 鈥08; 黑料社 Chaplain Mara Bailey 鈥06; Associate Professor of Biology Aswati Subramanian and Student Body President Sarah Roberts 鈥25.

An inauguration reception will be held immediately following the ceremony, in 黑料社鈥檚 Black Box Theatre, located in the Kent Campus Center. The weekend-long celebration continues with a full slate of Homecoming activities 鈥斅.