Cynthia A. Baldwin, a judge in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, was elected president of the Penn State Board of Trustees Friday, making her the first black woman to take the position in the 149 years since it was established.

Appointed to the board in 1995 by former Gov. Tom Ridge, Baldwin previously served as vice chair from 2001 to 2003.

Baldwin was also the first black woman to become a judge in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas after graduating from Penn State with a BA in English in 1966.

Baldwin will be replacing Edward R. Hintz Jr., who has served as chair of the board since January 2001.

During speeches of support, other trustees talked about Baldwin's many accomplishments.

Trustee Nicole Lobaugh said "I have known Judge Baldwin since I was a little girl. She's going to carry this board on as a leader with grace and style. I hope that Penn State students will understand that she always puts them first."

There were also glowing comments about outgoing chairman Hintz.

Earlier in the meeting, Penn State President Graham Spanier diverted from his typical president's address to recognize Hintz's service to the board, sharing anecdotes and photographs. Spanier also discussed challenges the university faced during Hintz's leadership.

"I simply can't tell you how important it was for me in dealing with those issues to have a board chairman who was so accessible, so willing to help and ultimately so incredibly supportive," Spanier said.

It was not until almost the end of the day-long meeting that Baldwin was elected, as voting business is conducted after all reports to the board.

As she stepped up to the podium to accept the position, Baldwin said, "I first need to take a deep breath."

Following her election, Baldwin graciously thanked her family and friends for their support and her fellow board members for electing her as their chair.

She established various goals she hopes to achieve during her term, including attracting top-notch faculty, keeping class sizes down, updating campus facilities, identifying new resources and reaffirming the school's commitment to agricultural studies.

Baldwin also acknowledged her faith in James S. Broadhurst, chairman and chief executive officer of Eat'n Park Hospitality Group, Inc., who was elected to serve as her vice chair.

Before completing her speech, Baldwin shared four points of wisdom she has learned throughout her life.

"Never make promises you can't keep. Expect the unexpected; don't expect from others what you can't expect from yourself, and always plan to work harder than you expected," she said.

Penn State officials are confident that Baldwin's past experience will help her succeed as president of the board.

"Cynthia has been a wonderful board member for quite a few years," Bill Mahon, university spokesman, said yesterday. "She is a very accomplished person and will be a terrific chair of the board."

All other board officers were re-elected to serve another year in their current positions.

Collegian Staff Writer Renée Petrina contributed to this report.