Despite being president for over a year now, President Byers had his official inauguration on the Friday of homecoming week to celebrate with students, staff and alumni.

Smith Chapel was filled as the ceremony began with an opening procession of staff, speakers, and Simpson’s choir.

The head of the board of trustees, Terry Handley, opened the ceremony as Byers, looking nervous, was brought onto the stage.

“Today is truly a special day in the life of Simpson College,” Handley said.

Simpson College Chaplain, Reverend Mara Bailey then gave an invocation to bless all of those in attendance, including Byers.

Following the blessing, Handley spoke again, this time on behalf of the board of trustees, to officially welcome Byers and show support for his work.

“The board was thrilled to unanimously appoint you president,” Handley said. “You hit the ground running during your first year as president. This is truly a great time to be at Simpson College.”

Dr. Aswati Subramanian, assistant professor of biology, also spoke at Byers’s inauguration. After adding a box to stand on behind the podium, Subramanian used the metaphor of a forest to explain the ecosystem of Simpson’s campus. Even those with the most power, or the tallest trees in the forest, are not made to dominate over those with less, but rather protect them.

“It is not competition, but cooperation. Byers’ openness to bring ideas into fruition is a striking new way for Simpson,” Subramanian said. “So, am I calling Jay Byers a tall tree? Maybe just a little bit.”

Student Body President Sarah Roberts followed, talking about how her experiences at Simpson transformed her life and gave her opportunities she never could have imagined.

“As I approach my final chapters here at Simpson, I can’t help but reflect on how far I’ve come since those early days,” Roberts said. “If I could speak to my first-year self, I would tell her choosing Simpson is one of the best decisions she could have made.”

Amanda Zwanziger, President and CEO of the Indianola Chamber of Commerce shared how getting Byers was like “winning the lottery.” Zwanziger praised Byers for his focus on town-and-gown relations, which has helped both the city and college thrive.

“We simply couldn’t ask for a better leader for the most important institution in our community,” Zwanziger said. “Jay, you’re not only a leader and influencer and a partner, you are a friend to so many, and so on behalf of the Indianola Chamber of Commerce and the community of Indianola, we are excited to welcome you to this new chapter and work with you every step of the way.”

Gary Steinke, President of the Iowa Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and former co-worker of Byers, spoke on Byers’ focus on student experience and understanding of the importance of getting a college degree.

“Jay will be a champion for Simpson College students and for students across the state,” Steinke said.

Billy Weathers, founder and CEO of the B. Well Foundation and Simpson alum, performed a spoken word piece about his appreciation of Simpson College, while also throwing in some digs about the price of tuition, Pfeiffer food, and the limited dating pool in Indianola.

Following the spoken word piece, Simpson’s college choir performed a song, which was followed by the official presentation of the president’s medallion to Byers and sealed his inauguration as President.

David Hayes, President of Coe College and previous bandmate of Byers spoke about Byers’ merits and compared him to fictional characters such as Gandolf from Lord of the Rings.

“Jay does serious things, but never takes himself too seriously,” Hayes said. “I think I imagine you as Gandolf, for your leadership is rooted in knowledge, requiring a nimble mind.”

Hayes brought strong emotions from the crowd, eliciting laughter when comparing Byers’ form to Skeletor followed by tears as Hayes became emotional at the end of his speech.

“Despite his immense power and wisdom, he listens to others,” Hayes said. “He understands how to be a part of the community because he lived it. Students, he understands your hopes and dreams because they were his hopes and dreams.”

Byers ended the ceremony with a speech of his own, starting by welcoming the alum back on campus. Byers also shared the story of how he came to Simpson.

After being influenced by his guidance counselor father to try Simpson out, he fell in love with the campus. Following his time as a student, he came back to serve as an adjunct professor of political science and then on the board of trustees.

“Never in my time as a student did I think I would become president,” Byers said.

Byers also talked about his hopes for the future of Simpson College, explaining the new strategic plan which includes a renovation of Pfifer and Great Hall, housing, and athletic and performing arts buildings.

“There is true excitement about what is happening at Simpson College,” Byers said. “Together we have the opportunity to make Simpson the model for success.”

Ending his speech, Byers performed the song, “Homeward Bound” on stage.

“I’ve never played in a robe before,” Byers said, fighting his regalia sleeves while trying to strum his guitar.

After the recessional, guests were invited to Black Box for an after-party and cocktail hour to celebrate the new president and homecoming.