SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga University has appointed its first female president, marking a historic moment in the institution’s 137-year history.
Katia Passerini, originally from Italy and formerly the provost of Seton Hall, expressed her lifelong dream to students during the announcement. “I had imagined this moment my whole life,” she said.
Passerini emphasized her dedication to maintaining the school’s Jesuit values and encouraged students to visualize their future and work toward achieving it.
She succeeds Thayne McCulloh, who served as president for 16 years.
The ceremony included the highest-ranking nun in the Vatican, who celebrated Passerini’s groundbreaking appointment.
