Elon University's Board of Trustees has chosen Constance "Connie" Ledoux Book as the school's next president.
Book will be Elon's ninth president, and the first woman to hold the position. She started a teaching career at Elon in 1999 as an assistant professor of communications. Book is currently the provost at The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina.
In a recorded message to the Elon community, Book called higher education the "everyday miracle."
"And it's something we should never take for granted," she said. "That a person can learn something new and advance their life, that they can change their future and their family's future, and in doing so impact the lives of people everywhere."
Book said Elon holds a unique place in higher education.
"This is an academic community that recognizes the power of a strong foundation in the sciences, the arts and humanities, interwoven with active student engagement and distinctive professional and graduate programs," she said.
Book has a Master’s degree in education administration from Northwestern State University, and a doctorate in journalism from the University of Georgia.
She replaces Leo Lambert, who has been Elon's president since 1999. Book will officially take over the position on March 1, 2018.
