Photo: William & Mary

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) _ William & Mary has named a woman to lead the university for the first time in its 325-year history. The school in Williamsburg said in a statement Tuesday that Smith College provost Katherine Rowe will become its 28th president. She will replace W. Taylor Reveley III, who is retiring this summer after 10 years. Rowe has served as provost and dean of the faculty at Smith since 2014, working as its chief academic officer. Her areas of research and scholarship include Shakespeare as well as Medieval and Renaissance drama and media history. William & Mary said Rowe has been a leader in digital innovation of the liberal arts and transformed Smith’s liberal arts curriculum. She also increased diversity in the faculty and broke national fundraising records for women’s colleges.