CARBONDALE (SIU NEWS) — “The Power Within: Reclaim, Restore and Rise” is the theme for the 2026 Illinois ACE Women’s Network Conference at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on March 2 and registration is now underway.
Women from throughout the state who are interested in education are welcome to participate in this engaging day of conversation about the power of women to lead and make sustainable changes to strengthen communities, educational institutions and future generations.
The conference will take place at the SIU Student Center from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and administrators, staff, faculty, professional women in education, along with graduate and undergraduate students, will find it interesting and informative.
Learn from education leaders
Joyce Ester, the seventh president of Governors State University, is the keynote speaker. Her career spans positions in academic and student affairs, faculty and staff governance, and financial management. She served as president of Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota, the largest college and third largest institution in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. The university’s enrollment increased 18% in five years under her direction, and she also acquired a $2 million gift to cover development of a new health care interdisciplinary professional education program.
Previously, she served as president of Kennedy King College in Chicago as well as leadership roles at Bakersfield College and California State University – Fresno. She earned her doctorate in education at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and throughout her career focused on establishing strong institutional cultures, advancing student success, integrity, transparency and collaboration.
There will also be a number of breakout sessions featuring national and state higher education experts and leaders sharing about:
- Development of leadership skills at various career stages.
- Pathways to senior leadership.
- Inclusive practices and equity in academia.
- Best practices in campuses statewide.
Sign up now
Participants can register online in advance. Attendees can also print the registration form and fax it to Events and Outreach at 618-453-5680 or email it to conferenceservices@siu.edu. The cost varies, depending on whether people are ACE members, and there is a discount rate for students as well. The fee covers the full slate of presentations, breakfast and lunch, vendor presentations and networking.
Additional sponsors and vendors are welcomed. Find additional details on the website. For more information, contact Renada Greer, state chair of the Illinois ACE Women’s Network, at renadag@siu.edu.
