Mary Papazian, Armenian by origin, has been appointed president of Southern Connecticut State University, The Armenian Weekly writes.

She is the first Armenian woman to assume the post of a university head. Overall four Armenians were appointed to such position: Dr. Gregory Adamian, the longtime president of Bentley College in Waltham, Mass., and Dr. Vartan Gregorian, past president of Brown University in Providence, R.I.

“I am immensely excited to be taking part on this journey with you. I promise to each of you today, it will be a journey of respect. It will be a journey of commitment. It will be a journey dedicated to excellence and to human dignity,” she said addressing 300 students gathered in the student center.