Dr Helen Popovich, who was soon to be crowned as the third official president of Florida Atlantic University, would go forward to become one of the many firsts in FAU’s early history. It was in the year 1984, the third month of it, February 10th to be more specific, when Dr Helen Popovich was inaugurated into the University’s office. Popovich was and is considered a great and notable figure within Women’s archivals at Florida Atlantic University, serving as the very first woman president in the rather early records of the education establishment. But her achievements and importance didn’t just end with her position at Florida Atlantic University as an owl, but exceeded far past and vastly.

Dr Helen Popovich was born in El Paso, Texas to parents, Edward C. Houser and Winifred Houser, where she was also furthermore raised with her two other siblings. Ultimately, that is the very place she would end up even pursuing some of her higher education past high school, or more specifically University of Texas at El Paso. It was there where she studied and majored in English, Speech and Drama, earning her first degree of a Bachelor through her attendance in 1955. But her search and seeking of higher education did not end there, and she went further to expand her knowledge and horizons. She would ultimately return to the University of Texas at El Paso’s scene, serving as a teacher whilst also simultaneously earning her Masters of Arts in English in the year of 1958. But most strikingly, in the year of 1961 Helen Popovich moved past her beloved hometown, and the University she had served teaching as well as learning to go and serve for another University. She was hired as a graduate student professor at the University of Kansas. This again was all whilst working as such a position, she also was working once more to another degree, in finality gaining her status name of Doctor. Gaining her Doctorate of Philosophy in English, all her achievements like awards to her name, officiating her as Helen Popovich, B.A., M.A., Ph.D.

Her persistent hard work, and effort in aspects of education as a career and as a student had not gone unnoticed or in vain. As stated within The Inauguration of Helen Popovich, “she [had] entered the Florida State University System as an Assistant Professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa, and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1973.” ( FAU, pg 1) From the assistant Professor, she continued to rise and climb through the ranks with her fiery passion for the educational system, and her love for these said institutions and universities. Seemingly, breezing through the positions: Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Associate Chairman of the Department of English, and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters. Dr Popovich then moved bases to Minnesota, where she was put into the position of the Dean of Liberal Arts, before soon rising to Vice President for Academic Affairs, before the officiating President at Winona State University. It was only then, soon after through her vast journey of knowledge and education, and rich experience that life had to offer in both her personal and career life that she had been accepted into the position of FAU’s President. With such an extensive and expansive resume with lists of achievements and positions as her own, it had made her shine through even amongst the best of the best candidates that were offered, ultimately causing Florida Atlantic University Presidential Search Committee to appoint her as the third acting President of the young University, furthermore making her and what she had bring such of a big importance, to not just women history, but the history of the institution.

WRITTEN BY Kylee Walls