FRAMINGHAM, Mass. (AP) — An administrator with a commitment to educational and social equity has been selected as the next president of Framingham State University, the Massachusetts school’s trustees said.

Nancy Niemi will take over as the school’s eighth president on July 1 pending approval from the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education, according to a statement Thursday.

“We were very fortunate to have three outstanding finalists to select from,” trustee and search committee Chair Kevin Foley said in a statement. “In the end, Dr. Niemi’s passion and vision for the future of this institution and engaging interaction on campus helped her rise to the top.”

Niemi, currently provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, replaces current President F. Javier Cevallos who announced last March that he would retire after the current academic year.

“The values at Framingham State align with my own: we share a commitment to public, fiercely student-centered education with a strong emphasis on liberal arts,” Niemi said.

Framingham State, which traces its history to 1839, currently has about 6,000 students.

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