Top 13 stories of 2023
What are the most read Mount Holyoke College stories for 2023?
As the year comes to a close, a review of the 13 most-read Mount Holyoke College news stories published this year tells the story of 2023 at the College, highlighting student, faculty and staff achievements, as well as the celebration of Mount Holyoke’s twentieth president.
1. Mount Holyoke College appoints Danielle Ren Holley twentieth president
Danielle Ren Holley, noted legal educator and social justice scholar, became the twentieth president of Mount Holyoke College on July 1, 2023. The Board unanimously elected Holley following a thorough and inclusive search process.
2. Mount Holyoke College named a “best” college by the Princeton Review
The Princeton Review ranked Mount Holyoke College in the top 20 colleges and universities in the country in categories for academics, extracurricular activities and alum resources.
3. A glimpse of the College’s nineteenth-century centerpiece
Construction for Mount Holyoke’s new geothermal energy project led to discoveries from the College’s beginnings.
4. 2023 Commencement speakers announced
Author and scholar Imani Perry, author and professor Lan Cao ’83 and physicist Nancy Welker ’63 spoke to Mount Holyoke College’s newest graduates at Commencement 2023.
5. High rankings for Mount Holyoke
Mount Holyoke College has been ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly and the New York Times.
6. Meet Mount Holyoke’s newest faculty for 2023
Mount Holyoke’s newest faculty bring innovative, interdisciplinary scholarship to the College’s thriving intellectual community.
7. Mount Holyoke selected to join Beckman Scholars Program
For the first time in its history, Mount Holyoke College has been selected as a Beckman Scholars Program awardee by the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. The foundation chose the College after a rigorous application process.
8. New applications record for third consecutive year
Mount Holyoke College received more than 5,000 applications for the first time and admitted its most diverse class in history.
9. New staff and administrators join Mount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College welcomed new staff and administrators for roles across the campus.
10. The future is now with President Danielle R. Holley
Mount Holyoke College celebrated the inauguration of Danielle R. Holley as its twentieth president.
11. The theme for Commencement 2023 was “hope”
Mount Holyoke’s one hundred eighty-sixth Commencement was a celebration of the class of 2023 and an ode to fostering hope for the future.
12. “Disability Visibility” is the Common Read for 2023
Mount Holyoke’s 2023 Common Read, “Disability Visibility,” is an anthology of essays, stories, poems and more that centers around disability justice — written by people with disabilities and edited by disabled activist and writer Alice Wong.
13. Mount Holyoke student named a “major league hacker”
Mount Holyoke College student Cynthia Akanaga ’25 has been named to Major League Hacking’s Top 50 List for 2023.
