Hollins – Mary Dana Hinton, Ph.D., president of Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees at The Madeira School, a renowned independent boarding and day school for girls in grades 9-12. Her term began on July 1.
“I am honored to serve alongside the dedicated members of the Madeira Board of Trustees,” said Hollins President Mary Dana Hinton. “At a time when education for girls is more vital than ever, I look forward to supporting Madeira’s mission and the life-changing impact it has on young women.”
Located on 376 scenic acres overlooking the Potomac River in McLean, Virginia, just 15 minutes from Washington, D.C., Madeira is nationally recognized for its rigorous academics, commitment to experiential learning, and empowering mission to “launch women who change the world.” The school is accredited by the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS).
A nationally respected leader in higher education, Hinton currently serves as past chair of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU). She also holds board positions with the American Association of Colleges and Universities, The Teagle Foundation, the Council of Independent Colleges of Virginia, and Mount Saint Mary’s University in Los Angeles.
Hinton is a frequent speaker across the U.S. and internationally on issues related to the liberal arts and inclusive excellence. She is a faculty member in the CIC Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program and the Academic Leadership Institute.
She is the author of several books, including Leading from the Margins: College Leadership from Unexpected Places (2024) and the forthcoming Where Love Leads: Leadership, Love, and the Liberal Arts, which will be published by University of Virginia Press in 2026.
About Hollins University
Hollins University is a private liberal arts university set on a picturesque 475-acre campus in Roanoke, Virginia. Founded in 1842 as Valley Union Seminary in the historic community of Botetourt Springs, Hollins is one of the nation’s oldest institutions of higher education for women. Today, it enrolls approximately 800 undergraduate and graduate students and is nationally recognized for its academic excellence, creative focus, and dedication to developing women leaders.
Signature offerings include the Batten Executive Certificate in Leadership, a nationally competitive equestrian program, the Eleanor D. Wilson Museum, the acclaimed Jackson Center for Creative Writing, and the Wyndham Robertson Library—designated Virginia’s first National Literary Landmark. The university’s historic Front Quadrangle is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
