Mount Holyoke College Appoints Black Woman as 20th President, a First in School’s 186-year History

Danielle Ren Holley, a noted legal educator and social justice scholar, will become the 20th president of Mount Holyoke College on July 1, 2023. The Board unanimously elected Holley following a thorough and inclusive search process.

President-elect Holley is the first Black woman in the 186-year history of Mount Holyoke College to serve as permanent president, and the fourth Black woman in history to lead one of the original Seven Sisters Colleges.

Since 2014, President-elect Holley has served as dean and professor of law at the Howard University School of Law. She is widely viewed as having renewed Howard’s historically important law school and raising its stature and visibility as the leading educator of social and racial justice lawyers.

“In addition to her exceptional leadership and ability to cultivate shared purpose, President-elect Holley brings a strong vision for what Mount Holyoke is and, more importantly, what our College can become. She has a strong track record of strategic growth and innovation, which will serve us well,” said Board of Trustees Chair Karena V. Strella ’90.

“President-elect Holley is widely recognized for her broad intellectual interests and curiosity, as well as for her rigorous advancement of racial and social justice in the legal field and beyond. We look forward to welcoming her to the Mount Holyoke community, particularly as we continue our work together to create and maintain a culture of belonging and a society that advances the dignity of all.”

“It is an understatement to say I am excited to join the vibrant and dynamic Mount Holyoke community; in truth, I am ecstatic and exhilarated. My personal and professional endeavors reflect my commitment to create educational opportunities for talented and deserving students, including those who may encounter doors that are closed or unwelcome. Mount Holyoke shares this vision — here, I have found students who want to break down barriers and create lasting, equitable change for all, and faculty, staff and alums are dedicated to helping these students strive for a brighter and bolder tomorrow. My own liberal arts education helped me find my path forward, and what Mount Holyoke gives to its students will stay with them long after they graduate,” said President-elect Holley.

“I want to extend my sincere appreciation to the Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee for their time and commitment to providing a meaningful search process. To the Mount Holyoke community, I have a simple but heartfelt message: I am so happy and proud to be your president-elect, and I look forward to working alongside you to ensure that Mount Holyoke forever shall be.”

“I would like to extend to Dean Danielle Holley my sincerest congratulations on her appointment as the twentieth president of Mount Holyoke College. This is a full-circle moment for me because Dean Holley was my very first hire as the president of Howard University, joining our faculty as the dean of the School of Law and a professor of law in 2014,” said Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, president of Howard University.

“Dean Holley has led the law school to unprecedented heights, including moving the Howard University Law School rankings into the top 100 in the U.S. News & World Report, establishing the Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Center and driving applications to all-time highs, to highlight just a few. Her presence and impact will be truly missed on our beloved campus.”