Cheryl Green, Ph.D., President, Governors State University
Dr. Cheryl Green brings more than 30 years
of professional experience in higher education to her role as the sixth President
of Governors State University, and the leader of the Jaguar family. A
passionate educator and administrator, Green believes fiercely in the power of
education to change lives. Throughout her career, she has pioneered the
innovation of academic enrichment opportunities and student success initiatives
that promote increased retention and graduation rates for first generation and
non-traditional college students.
Most recently, Green served as Vice
Chancellor for Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, as
Interim Chancellor for the University of Wisconsin Whitewater, and as Assistant
Vice President for Student Affairs at Tennessee State University.
Before her time at TSU, Dr. Green served
at Chicago State University in a variety of administrative and academic roles,
including director/chair of the counseling department, inaugural
dean of first-year students, acting associate director of career placement, and
as a tenured associate professor of counseling. In addition, Green served as
the statewide representative for 2,700 faculty and staff in her role as the Grievance
Officer for the University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100 for seven
public universities.
Her fiscal experience includes the budget
management of more than $300 million at three universities. Throughout her
career she has served as the primary or contributing author for multiple grants
which yielded more than $15 million in revenue. Most of her scholarly research
has been focused on increasing student achievement and delivering community-based
health initiatives for diverse student populations.
Green’s commitment to making a difference
is evidenced by her service to the community, which spans the United States and
has included serving on 12 different advisory boards or boards of directors. Currently,
she serves on the Manchester University Board of Trustees, the Association of
Governing Boards (ABG) Council of Presidents, the inaugural Presidential
Ambassadors Council of the Association of International Education
Administrators (AIEA), the Will County Center for Economic Development Board of
Directors, and the Southland Development Authority Board of Directors. In the
recent past, she has been active on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute STEM
Grant Advisory Board of UW Madison, the Forward 50 Advisory Board for the
National Association of Student and Financial Aid Administrators, and the
Milwaukee based Gift of Adoption Wisconsin Board of Directors.
Dr. Green is the proud recipient of
Chicago Crain’s 2021 Notable Black Leaders and Executives, and the Illinois
Black Hall of Fame has honored her as a Woman of First Distinction. She is a
proud member of the Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.-Will County Black Diamond Chapter
and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. In March 2022, Dr.
Green was awarded the Excellence in Education award by the Central Regional
Director of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and in June 2022, she
was recognized as one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Illinois in 2022 by Women
We Admire. In August 2022, she served as an Honorary Grand Marshal of the
historic Bud Billiken Parade. Additionally, Newsweek
recently featured Dr. Green in a profile that discussed the university’s 2022
ranking in U.S. News & World Report
for being one of the top 25 best Midwest schools for social mobility. Green is a
Silver Life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP). In 2023, she was the recipient of the Outstanding Commitment in
Education award by the Illinois State Treasurer and presented with a resolution
by the Cook County Board of Commissioners for her accomplishments as the first
African American woman to lead the university. Green has also been named a 2023
Business Leader of Color by Chicago United.
Green has a Ph.D. and master’s degree in counseling
psychology from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois. She
obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Manchester College (now Manchester
University) in North Manchester, Indiana. She also holds several National
Incident Management System certificates from the U.S. Federal Emergency
Management Institute and serves as a recognized leader in grievance mediation
and conflict resolution.
Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Green
is also the loving mother of two adult children who constantly keep her
inspired to believe in the worth and potential of all human beings and to make
a difference in the world.