BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Indiana University board of trustees named Pamela Whitten the new president of the university on Friday.
Whitten is IU's first female president. She comes to Indiana from Kennesaw State University in Georgia and will be the university's nineteenth president.
"In my lifetime to have come to the point where this is an opportunity and actually came to fruition is incredibly gratifying," Whitten said. "The important story is that I am coming to a university that is enthusiastic, frankly if not ecstatic, about the opportunity to bring in a female as the leader of its university."
The president-elect holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas, a Master of Arts in communication from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science in management from Tulane University.
"I've always considered IU to be among one of the best public universities in the country. I am honored and humbled to be joining the IU family," Whitten said. "I know I am coming to a special place."
The IU Board of Trustees selected Whitten after a nationwide search.
She will take over the position from Michael McRobbie, who announced last August he was stepping down after 14 years.
Whitten will assume the presidential role on July 1.
IU Board Chairman Michael Mirro also took time in the announcement to address the FedEx shooting.
"This morning we woke up to news of another heartbreaking mass shooting, this time at a FedEx facility in our own state. These events have become horribly familiar to us, and our thoughts are with our fellow Hoosiers as we grapple with another tragedy. The weight of this painful event will stay with all of us. As we've had to do too many times in recent memory, we will carry on with heavy hearts," Mirro said.