Top 13 stories of 2023
![Williston Library from the ground up in the winter of 2017](/sites/default/files/styles/1170x780/public/2023-12/Williston-Library-Winter-2017.jpg?h=1116cd87&itok=znJiv6xP)
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鈥檚 twentieth president.
![President-elect Danielle R. Holley](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-02/president-elect-danielle-holley.jpg?itok=W7qYud0V)
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 鈥渂est鈥 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.
![Abbey trench to the North exposing a brick used in the old building.](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-12/Abbey-Trench-2-North-cropped.png?itok=St3j7gK4)
3. A glimpse of the College鈥檚 nineteenth-century centerpiece
Construction for Mount Holyoke鈥檚 new geothermal energy project led to discoveries from the College鈥檚 beginnings.
4. 2023 Commencement speakers announced
Author and scholar Imani Perry, author and professor Lan Cao 鈥83 and physicist Nancy Welker 鈥63 spoke to Mount Holyoke College鈥檚 newest graduates at Commencement 2023.
![Students presenting information at a scholarship conference at 果冻传媒 College](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-09/Students-Presenting.jpg?itok=HsXeQbe6)
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 果冻传媒鈥檚 newest faculty for 2023
Mount Holyoke鈥檚 newest faculty bring innovative, interdisciplinary scholarship to the College鈥檚 thriving intellectual community.
![Chemistry terms written on a chalkboard](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-01/Chemistry-chalkboard.png?itok=BBkE5tCD)
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.
![Mary Lyon Hall and clock tower.](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-08/Campus%20Beauty%202017-19%20%281%29.jpg?itok=wzTz9Tbr)
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.
![Graduates clapping during Commencement 2023](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-05/commencement-2023-graduates-clapping.png?itok=NyesmOx9)
11. The theme for Commencement 2023 was 鈥渉ope鈥
Mount Holyoke鈥檚 one hundred eighty-sixth Commencement was a celebration of the class of 2023 and an ode to fostering hope for the future.
12. 鈥淒isability Visibility鈥 is the Common Read for 2023
Mount Holyoke鈥檚 2023 Common Read, 鈥淒isability Visibility,鈥 is an anthology of essays, stories, poems and more that centers around disability justice 鈥 written by people with disabilities and edited by disabled activist and writer Alice Wong.
![A screenshot of some programming code.](/sites/default/files/styles/editor_small/public/2023-07/Programming_code.jpg?itok=qRY96EL-)
13. Mount Holyoke student named a 鈥渕ajor league hacker鈥
Mount Holyoke College student Cynthia Akanaga 鈥25 has been named to Major League Hacking鈥檚 Top 50 List for 2023.