2020 and 2021 Honorary Degree Recipients
2020
2020 Commencement Speaker
Mary Dana Hinton became the thirteenth president of Hollins University on August 1,
2020. An active and respected proponent of the liberal arts and inclusion, her leadership
reflects a deep and abiding commitment to educational equity and the education of
women.
For six years Hinton served as the president of the College of Saint Benedict (Saint
Ben’s) in Saint Joseph, Minnesota, and was named President Emerita upon her departure.
Under her leadership, Saint Ben’s put into action a collaborative strategic plan and
dynamic vision to guide the institution through 2020. During her tenure, the college