University of Iowa President Mary Sue Coleman announced Wednesday she will leave the university to serve as the 13th president at the University of Michigan.

The Michigan Board of Regents voted unanimously to name Coleman the first female president of the university. She will replace B. Joseph White, interim president since January.

Coleman was not available for comment.

“It’s news for us in a sense, because none of us found out until recently that this is happening,” said David Skorton, vice president of external affairs at University of Iowa.

Coleman has served as the University of Iowa’s president since 1995, and is also a professor of both biochemistry and biological sciences. She held posts as provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of New Mexico, and vice chancellor for graduate studies and research and associate provost and dean of research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“We obviously wanted an excellent scholar who could lead research,” said Paul Courant, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Michigan.

Earl Lewis, chair of the presidential search advisory committee, said Coleman was an impressive candidate, and will have immediate responsibilities.

“We needed someone who could deal with a complex array of situations and continue to strengthen programs,” Lewis said. “Her record, experience and vision made us all believe she was the leader we needed.”

There were more than 200 nominations submitted for the position and the university searched for six months before deciding on Coleman.

“We are happy for her and proud that our university president is going on to a top-ranked university,” Skorton said.