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Dr. Mary Papazian was inducted as the 11th president and second female president of Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) on September 28. Papazian, 53, the first Armenian-American woman to lead a US university -focused academically on British literature, specifically 17th-century poet and clergyman John Donne.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a number of high-ranking guests, including Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and Rouben Mirzakhanian, Rector of the Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU).
“After speaking with her [Mary Papazian] I have no doubt that this is just the beginning of a great era for Southern under her leadership. She is a dedicated, hard-working person who thinks outside of the box,” said Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman.
Mary Papazian was provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and professor of English at Lehman College of the City University of New York before coming to SCSU.
In her speech, Papazian spoke about her vision for the university as well as her heritage.
“This I pledge: I will have an open administration, I will provide equitable treatment for all and I will fulfill without fail all official and unofficial responsibilities. My administration will
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be evenhanded and predictable,” said Papazian. “…Together we will work to make Southern the most successful university in its class.”
Papazian expressed interest in recruiting more international students to enrich the social and educational experiences of Connecticut students and better prepare them for a global society.
Speaking of her Armenian heritage, she said, “In the United States, the Armenians form a small, tightly-knit community, primarily born out of the tragic genocide of the early 20th century in which three quarters of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire were annihilated. Our roots as Armenians lie in a society and rich culture that span thousands of years.
The King James Bible says that the Ark of Noah landed on the mountains of Armenia (Genesis 8:4), and I might suppose that in one sense all of us are Armenian. Because of our shared past, we all of Armenian ancestry have common interests and a strong connection to each other”
Mary Papazian and her husband, Dennis Papazian, have two daughters, Ani and Marie. They reside in Woodbridge.
Southern was founded as a teachers college in 1893 and now offers 114 graduate and undergraduate programs.
On the sidelines of his visit to the USA, ASPU Rector Rouben Mirzakhanian had a meeting with Mary Papazian. The parties reached a preliminary agreement to start cooperation between the two universities.
