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The inauguration of Simpson College President Jay Byers ’93 will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, Oct. 11, in Smith Chapel. The ceremony celebrating Simpson’s 25th president is being held in conjunction with the College’s Homecoming festivities set for Oct. 11-13. Limited seating will be available to the public.
President Byers’ Inaugural Address will focus on “Take Your Future By Storm.” Since taking office in August 2023, Byers has overseen completion of the $10 million Dunn Library renovation, numerous athletics facility enhancements and Simpson’s largest new student enrollment in more than a decade this fall.
“We are building tremendous momentum at Simpson,” said Byers. “And 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 Simpson College.”
Byers’ 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 ‘06 of United Methodist Church; Brian Williams ’15 of Indianola First United Methodist Church; and Amanda Zwanziger, CEO and president of the Indianola Chamber of Commerce.
Simpson participants in the ceremony will include Board of Trustees Chair Terry Handley ’09; Alumni Association Board Member Martha Davis-Goldstein ’08; Simpson College Chaplain Mara Bailey ’06; Associate Professor of Biology Aswati Subramanian and Student Body President Sarah Roberts ’25.
An inauguration reception will be held immediately following the ceremony, in Simpson’s Black Box Theatre, located in the Kent Campus Center. The weekend-long celebration continues with a full slate of Homecoming activities — see the schedule here.