Jarrett Royster '91 - Distinguished Alumnus Award
Jarrett Royster '91 - Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Jarrett Royster '91 - Distinguished Alumnus Award
Grounded in nearly four decades of nonprofit leadership, Jarrett Royster ’91, has centered himself on advancing youth development, community health, and equity through an approach that nurtures the whole person while considering the broader world in which they live.
Royster is the current president and chief executive officer for the YMCA of Delaware. He is a transformational nonprofit leader with 40 years of YMCA experiences in advancing youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. He has led initiatives that close opportunity gaps for children and teens, expanded access to education and career pathways, and improved the health and well-being of individuals and families.
Most passionate about developing leaders and unlocking human potential during their journey to grow, Royster thrives on collaboration and innovation. He frequently partners with others to find creative solutions to complex social challenges.
Royster has held senior leadership roles in the YMCA of the USA, Greater Boston, Greater Charlotte, Philadelphia, Birmingham, Oklahoma City, Providence, and Pittsburgh. In addition, Royster is national chair of the Boys and Young Men Project, and a respected collaborator serving on the Delaware Business Roundtable, a consortium of the state’s top 55 chief executive officers committed to advancing economic growth, education, and quality of life.
Nationally, Royster has spearheaded efforts to scale evidence-based solutions in youth development and health across more than 200 YMCAs. Royster’s leadership blends strategic vision, fiscal discipline, and cross-sector partnerships with a deep commitment to nurturing people, empowering emerging leaders to grow in purpose. He has expanded YMCA organizational growth through new branches, capital projects, and innovative programming. In addition, he has enhanced YMCA fund development helping raise more than $50 million to close the achievement gap and nurture the character development in young people. Also, he has led health innovation through nationally recognized approaches to chronic disease prevention and habit-based wellness.
In community health work, Royster has focused on chronic disease prevention and management. His work has ranged from diabetes, to supporting cancer survivors, always prioritizing the cultivation of healthy habits over narrow prescriptive approaches. By shaping environments that make healthy choices accessible and sustainable, Royster has helped individuals and communities build resilience and thrive long-term.
Always striving to volunteer in his community, Royster is a member of the Delaware Television Board, and an active member of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. He also serves on the steering committee for the YMCAs of North America, Canada and Mexico. Additionally, he is proud to be on the advisory committee to the National President of the YMCA of the USA.
Royster has remained actively engaged with the College by hosting Springfield College students as summer interns at the YMCA. He has provided them with hands-on experience in community-based leadership. Over the years, Royster has proudly hired more than a dozen Springfield College graduates to help them transition into meaningful careers in service and leadership.
Recently married to Kimberly Royster, the couple has a one-year-old son named Jarrell Lee Royster. Jarrett’s younger brother, Joel Royster ’92, is also a proud Springfield College alumnus.
Response from Jarrett Royster '91
I want to express my deepest gratitude to the Alumni Council for this Distinguished Alumni Award. I am both humbled and honored to be counted among the remarkable past and future recipients.
Looking back nearly 40 years, I could never have imagined how profoundly my life would be shaped by Springfield College. The irony is that it all happened serendipitously—by what I can only consider divine. I had no plans of attending Springfield. In fact, I had never even heard of it.
One week before my high school graduation, just days after winning the state 400-meter dash and the 4x400 relay, I was walking down the hallway of my high school when our athletic director congratulated me and asked where I was going to college. When I answered “Nowhere,” he pulled me into his office, picked up the phone, and called Springfield—his alma mater.
Though I had never planned on Springfield, when the door opened, I walked through it. The love, mentoring, and support I received from the people here made an imprint on my soul—shaping my leadership style and my approach to the work.
People like John Wilson. As assistant dean of Admissions, not only did he answer the phone that day, but he also became my mentor. He saw leadership in a shy 19-year-old and encouraged me to use my voice and get involved.
John also encouraged me to return to track, where I met Coach Ken Klatka ’69, G’70. He pushed us to be our best. I became captain, and I will always cherish the bonds with my relay teammates, who are still some of my best friends today.
Springfield also gave me professors who shaped my future. Particularly, Professor Martin Dosick challenged my thinking and opened my eyes to issues of society and social justice.
I was so inspired by my mentors, professors, and the teachings that I wrote an essay about committing my life to serving communities the Springfield way—building holistic approaches to social problems. Professor Byron Coe shared that essay with YMCA leaders, which led to a job offer before I even graduated.
Everything I have done in my career was shaped by what I learned at Springfield: That when we take a holistic approach to people and communities, we can transform lives. That is the gift Springfield gave me, and it is the legacy we all share as part of this remarkable institution.
