Koester, one of 15 women selected by the commission and the City Council, was cited for her "exemplary record of commitment and numerous significant contributions to the support, protection and awareness of the valuable accomplishments of women in our society."

District 12 Councilmember Greig Smith nominated the president for the award.

"It is a privilege to join the roll call of women who have received this very special tribute," Koester said. "I am grateful to the Commission and to Councilmember Smith for their recognition of my work, which reflects the inspiration and support of the entire community of dedicated educators and staff at Cal State Northridge."

Among the other honorees were CSUN alumna Tyree Wieder, president of Los Angeles Valley College, and former California First Lady Sharon Davis.

Koester was named Cal State Northridge's fourth president in July 2000. At the time of her appointment, Koester had been serving as provost and vice president for academic affairs and professor of communication studies at California State University, Sacramento.

She earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, an M.A. in communication arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. in speech communication from Minnesota.

Koester is the author of several scholarly books and articles on intercultural and interpersonal communication and is a former Fulbright Scholar.

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 61 bachelor's and 42 master's degrees as well as 28 education credential programs. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley and the fourth largest in the 23-campus CSU system. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.