St. Norbert College to Celebrate Inauguration for the College’s Ninth President Laurie M. Joyner Ph.D.

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From St. Norbert College, October 1, 2024
by Thomas Janssen, thomas.janssen@snc.edu, 920-403-3822

Editor’s note: Media interested in attending the inauguration should email communications@snc.edu by October 8.

Ceremonies for the inauguration of the ninth president of St. Norbert College, Laurie M. Joyner, Ph.D., will be held on Thursday, Oct. 10. A Mass of Thanksgiving will be held at St. Norbert Abbey at 10:30 a.m., followed by the inaugural ceremony at 2:30 p.m. in Walter Theatre, Abbot Pennings Hall of Fine Arts on the St. Norbert College campus, with an outdoor reception to follow. In the event of inclement weather, the reception will be moved inside the Ray Van Den Heuvel Family Campus Center. This year the college celebrates its 126th anniversary.

Joyner has chosen to focus on "Preserving the Legacy” as the theme for her inauguration. Information about the event can be found on the college website here: https://www.snc.edu/inauguration2024/.

“St. Norbert College is honored to welcome Dr. Laurie M. Joyner to the community. We’re inspired by her commitment to our mission and approach to attaining financial stability,” said St. Norbert College Board Chair Patti Brash McKeithan ’71. “In her short time here, Dr. Joyner has worked closely with the board of trustees, faculty and staff to enhance the college’s academic offerings to reflect the interests of our prospective and current students. Her commitment to operational excellence has been evident since her first day on campus. She empowers faculty and staff, which allows them to continue to provide a quality education that has been a hallmark of this institution for 126 years.”

Joyner brings extensive leadership experience to the College having served as president of St. Xavier University in Chicago (2017-23). Prior to St. Xavier, Joyner served as president of Wittenberg University in Ohio and in vice presidential and dean roles at Rollins College in Florida.

Prior to Rollins, Joyner served on the faculty and held administrative positions of increasing responsibility at Loyola University New Orleans, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology, graduating magna cum laude. From there, she went on to receive her master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology from Tulane University.

Joyner has been recognized for her vision, leadership and service throughout her career as follows: “Top 40 under 40 People to Watch” in the City of New Orleans; Loyola University Excellence in Service Learning Award; Louis J. Twomey, S.J. Award for Student Service and Support; The Lucy Cross, Mother of Rollins College, Award; The Rollins College Community Engagement Award; two-time Dayton, Ohio “POWER 50” Recipient; and Woman of Distinction Leadership Award from the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

A noted leader in Catholic higher education, Joyner serves on the Board of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities. Regionally, she serves on the board of the New North and is a member of The Chicago Network. She has delivered keynote addresses and participated as expert speaker or panelist for national conferences spanning a range of areas, including higher education, leadership, nonprofit governance and effective college-community partnerships.

Joyner and her husband, Jay F. Joyner, III, have three sons: Jay, Alexander and Christopher.

To learn more about President Joyner and how she was called to St. Norbert College, watch this short video. https://youtu.be/Rxkv_SprWrY