Mary Hinton

Mary Dana Hinton is an American academic and university administrator. She served as the president of the College of Saint Benedict from 2014 to 2020, and was appointed as the president of Hollins University in August 2020. She is the first African-American president of Hollins. Prior to her presidencies, she served as the vice president for academic affairs at Mount Saint Mary College and as the vice president of academic affairs at Misericordia College.

Early life and education Hinton was born in Kittrell, North Carolina into a working-class family. She attended local public schools and was told by her guidance counselor that she should consider the military instead of pursuing higher education because of her race. With the help of a family that her mother worked for, Hinton was accepted at Saint Mary's School, an Episcopal boarding school for girls in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Career Hinton began her career in education as an elementary schoolteacher in Maryland. While with Replications she helped open twenty-two schools in New York and Baltimore. She officially took office as the thirteenth president of Hollins in August 2020.

She is a member of the board of directors of Saint Mary's School, the Association of American Colleges and Universities, the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, Interfaith Youth Core, University Leadership Council, and the Council of Independent Colleges. She served as the chair of the Minnesota Private College Board of Presidents. She gave a TEDx Talk called Leading from the Margins.

Personal life Hinton is married to Robert Williams and has three children.