Ewha Womans University announced Thursday that Choi Kyung-hee, a professor in the department of science education, was named its new president.

The university board held a meeting early in the day and confirmed the 51-year-old educator as the school’s head. She was selected out of three female candidates, all of whom are currently members of the university staff.

She will begin her four-year term on Aug. 1, succeeding Kim Sun-uk.

Choi received her doctoral degree in the same field in 1994, and has been working as a professor at Ewha since September of that year.

Currently a dean of the College of Education, her previous positions include vice president for student affairs at Ewha, and presidential secretary for education and cultural affairs from 2006 to 2008.

Choi’s election maintained the school’s unofficial tradition of only selecting women as its presidents. Although the school recently changed the rules to allow males to apply for the top job, no men have announced their candidacy.

By Yoon Min-sik (minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)