Over the past year, President Hinton and the Institutional Advancement team spent time connecting with alumnae/i, parents, and friends. By listening to and engaging with you, I was inspired by the many alumnae/i who credit the Hollins experience with helping them find their voices. Whether on campus or across the country, these conversations have affirmed that Hollins is supported by a community that believes in the lasting impact of women’s education.
The progress reflected in this annual report is a direct result of that collective investment. Support for the Hollins Fund and key initiatives of the Transforming Learning, Transforming Lives: The Levavi Oculos Strategic Plan have strengthened the university’s financial position and expanded opportunities for current and future students. In FY25, we raised 50% more than in FY24 and increased our number of donors by 4.6%. These increases made it possible to begin the second phase of renovation on West Hall and to launch the HOPE Scholarship nationally.
Just as crucial as financial support are the countless hours of volunteer service, advocacy, and leadership that enriched the Hollins community. My team and all of us at Hollins are so grateful for the energy and enthusiasm you have provided for Hollins to continue advancing priorities that ensure access and academic excellence.
I want to truly thank you for your continued dedication. For three years, I have had the honor to serve Hollins, and I look forward to the progress we will achieve together.
Sincerely,
ANITA BRANCH-BROWN Vice President for Institutional Advancement
Strategic Plan Initiatives
Transforming Learning, Transforming Lives: The Levavi Oculos Strategic Plan reflects our enduring commitment to educating women for lives of leadership and purpose. Through intentional investments in academic excellence, access, and wellness, these initiatives lay the foundation for a thriving future for our students, our campus, and generations of alumnae/i to come.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
• Launched in 2023, Academic Renewal is a multi-year effort to strengthen academic programs, ensuring they remain rigorous, distinctive, and responsive to a changing world while reaffirming the liberal arts foundation.
• Experiential learning is now embedded in every major, expanding access to internships and applied learning. With new donor support, Hollins can guarantee funding for students with demonstrated financial need.
• New interdisciplinary programs are already taking shape, including public health, Hollins’ fastest-growing major, which integrates hands-on learning, leadership development, and community engagement.
• Leadership and career readiness are core outcomes of Academic Renewal, with every student earning a leadership badge and integrating career reflection and skill-building into their academic experience.
See pages 17-18 to learn more about Academic Renewal.
ACCESS
• HOPE has grown from a regional promise launched in 2021 into a national model in 2024. The program provides a fully loan-free Hollins education, covering tuition, on-campus food and housing, and required fees, for academically talented students from limited-income backgrounds.
• Hollins looks ahead to the May 2026 graduation of its first regional HOPE scholars, a milestone that reflects the growth and promise of the HOPE program.
• HOPE’s impact is already clear. Regional HOPE scholars have demonstrated strong persistence, leadership, and academic success, enriching classrooms and campus life while opening pathways to study abroad, internships, and post-graduate opportunities.
• As a cornerstone of Hollins’ strategic plan, HOPE advances access while strengthening enrollment, deepening community partnerships, and positioning Hollins as a national leader in social and economic mobility for women.
See pages 12-16 to learn more about the HOPE Scholarship.
WELLNESS
• The modernization of West Hall is underway. During Reunion, members of the Board of Trustees and alumnae/i enjoyed an update on renovation progress during guided tours, underscoring broad community interest and support for this transformative project.
• Planning is underway for the Cynthia L. Hale ’75 Holistic Wellness Center, a future campus resource designed to support student well-being in all its dimensions — physical, emotional, cultural, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, social, and spiritual.
• Campus renovation projects support the holistic education Hollins is known for — ensuring that residential, wellness, and academic spaces prepare students to thrive intellectually, socially, and personally in a complex world.
Hollins Fund Gifts to the Hollins endowment build the foundation for a lifetime of student success.
Every gift to the Hollins Fund — no matter the size — has a direct and meaningful impact on academic programs, student life, and the overall vitality of the Hollins community. Donors to the Hollins Fund share a belief in the transformative power of a Hollins education, and their generosity ensures that the university remains strong, responsive, and prepared for the opportunities ahead. In Fiscal Year 2025, the Hollins community raised over $3.5M for the Hollins Fund. This unrestricted support empowered us to adapt, innovate, and invest where support mattered most.
For more information on the Hollins Fund, please contact Noelle N. Cook, Hollins Fund director, at cooknn@hollins.edu or (540) 362-6411.
Hollins continues to operate within the board-approved budget and with no external debt. Much of this financial stability is due to our alumnae/i and friends who, devoted to Hollins’ long-term financial health, added just over $3.6 million to the endowment last fiscal year. As of June 30, 2025, the Hollins endowment boasted a market value of $327.1 million.
Donors made Hollins a lasting part of their legacy.
During the last fiscal year, Hollins received estate gifts over $6.9 million. Alumnae/i, parents, and friends who have indicated that they have made a bequest provision or planned gift commitment for Hollins in their estate plans are members of the Heritage Society. Today the Heritage Society has 488 members.
Alumnae/i Engagement Update
HOW YOU MADE A DIFFERENCE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025
229
alumnae/i volunteered for Hollins in one or more roles
732
alumnae/i engaged in at least one of the 31 in-person and virtual events
I1,751
alumnae/i donors gave to the Hollins Fund (17.1% alumnae/i participation rate)
n fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025), Hollins set a goal of 24% alumnae/i participation across our four major modes of engagement: volunteerism, events, communications, and philanthropy! While we were pleased to have continued engaging a critical mass, we fell short of our goal by 1.5%.
We are deeply grateful for our volunteers, who are the lifeblood of the alumnae/i association and help all of us to lift our eyes toward Hollins’ bright future. If you wish to volunteer for Hollins, be that in your local area, with your class, or supporting virtual programming — we want to hear from you!
We also extend our gratitude to each alumna/us who attended an event, in person or virtual, or took the time to write, email, or call us — it is a privilege to see the alumnae/i network in action. Stay up to date on all upcoming events through our alumnae/i newsletter, which hits your inboxes every month. And, if you haven’t gotten a call or an email from us in a while, let us know — we may have obsolete contact information.
Lastly, we sincerely appreciate all those who made a gift last year. Alumnae/i gifts not only directly impact today’s students but stand as a testament to the value of your degree, and provide confidence to foundations, corporations, and major gift philanthropists investing in Hollins.
Everyone who has attended Hollins has benefited from someone else’s generosity of time, talent, or treasure. The tradition of giving back truly makes Hollins a better place for everyone. We look forward to engaging with even more alumnae/i in fiscal year 2026!
Every act of generosity matters!
Whether you volunteer, refer a student, share a story from the Hollins magazine, or wear a Hollins sweatshirt around town (or out of town!) — you carry the Hollins mission into the world. Likewise, when you give to the Hollins Fund, you take action to ensure the perpetuity of that mission.
Our Hollins Fund participation rate was only 17.1% in 2025 — a drop of two percent from the year before. We understand that many alumnae/i carry student debt, and it is natural to feel conflicted about giving back. But your experience is exactly why scholarship support matters. When you give to the Hollins Fund, you help current and future students access the education you worked hard to afford — creating opportunities for them to graduate with less debt and greater freedom. So, if you haven’t made a gift to the Hollins Fund in a while, maybe open that next letter or email Hollins sends your way. You may find yourself surprised to hear what Hollins means today to our students, and how alumnae/i gifts don’t just fund an education — they transform a student’s future.
To show the impact of our volunteers, our reunion volunteer teams for the classes ending in 5s and 0s and the class of 2023 made a huge impact for Reunion 2025!
PRESIDENT NANCY OLIVER GRAY AWARD
Highest Total Giving for All Purposes
CLASS OF 1970
(with $3,056,486 as of June 30, 2025)
TINKER MOUNTAIN AWARD
Class with the largest total gift to the Hollins Fund CLASS OF 1970
(with $775,176 as of June 30, 2025)
CATHERINE ORGILL WEST ’51 AWARD
Class with the highest Hollins Fund participation in giving to Hollins
CLASS OF 1980
(with 46% as of June 30, 2025)
HONOR GUARD:
CLASS OF 1965
(with 36.4% as of June 30, 2025)
HOLLINS ROCK AWARD
Class with the highest Hollins Fund participation in 2nd, 5th, and 10th year classes
* Last year of service, 2025 P = Parent of alumna/us F = Family member of alumna/us
Giving Society Recognition
Weare grateful to our steadfast donors who give each year, make leadership gifts, and include Hollins in their estate planning. Thank you for giving Hollins a bright future. Our donors are recognized in the following giving societies:
THE HERITAGE SOCIETY
To see all Giving Societies, visit hollins.edu/resources-for/ alumnae/giving/giving-societies
LEVAVI OCULOS SOCIETY
The Levavi Oculos Society is a lifetime giving society for donors whose cumulative giving to Hollins surpasses $1 million. The university motto Levavi Oculos (from the 121st Psalm: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills”) emphasizes leadership and service in accord with Hollins values and traditions.
THE 1842 SOCIETY
The 1842 Society is composed of some of the most passionate and dedicated donors and friends of Hollins. It honors the year that Hollins was founded and is the brainchild of Pat Thomas Bain ’49, who helped establish the society in 1968. Members of the 1842 Society give at least $1,842 during the year to any designation at Hollins, though the majority of donors choose to make their gifts directly to the Hollins Fund. All donations totaling at least $1,842 annually, restricted or unrestricted, qualify the donor for membership. Gifts from family foundations and corporate matching gifts count toward membership.
Alumnae/i, parents, and friends who have indicated that they have made a bequest provision or planned gift commitment for Hollins in their estate plans are members of the Heritage Society. Today the Heritage Society has 488 members.
MISS MATTY’S CIRCLE
Miss Matty’s Circle (MMC) honors Martha Louisa Cocke, class of 1874. “Miss Matty” was the second president of Hollins from 1901 to 1933 and the first woman to lead a college in Virginia. Current students can join Miss Matty’s Circle with a gift of any amount by June 30 of that year. Alumnae/i who have graduated in the last ten (10) years can join Miss Matty’s Circle with a gift of any amount as well.
MARIAN WOLFF YOUNG SOCIETY
The Marian Wolff Young Society is named in honor of Marian Wolff Young, class of 1929, who made a gift to Hollins every year from her graduation until her death in 2008 — nearly 80 years. The Marian Wolff Young Society recognizes those donors who give every year since graduation.
BY MEREDITH COPE-LEVY ’12, M.F.A. ’18, DISCOVERY OFFICER, DONOR RELATIONS AND RESEARCH MANAGER
Hollins is grateful for the thoughtful leadership and generosity that philanthropist and community volunteer Trustee Emerita Martha “Kay” Massey Weatherspoon ’54, shared with her alma mater during her lifetime.
Together with her late husband Van Weatherspoon, Kay lived a life full of extraordinary generosity, touching nearly every aspect of life at Hollins. Her gifts included endowed scholarships, building projects and renovations, special collections, ongoing operational support, and even ice cream parties for staff. Reflecting her deep care for the Hollins community, Kay established the Distinguished Service Award for staff and faculty.
It was humbling to receive her $2,000,000 estate gift. The gift reflects Kay’s lifelong commitment to Hollins and her care for every aspect of campus life.
Kay Massey Weatherspoon, born July 27, 1933 in Durham, died March 30, 2025, in Charlotte, NC. She attended The Calvert School (Durham Academy) through grade eight, skipped ninth grade, and graduated from Durham High School in 1950. Kay graduated from Hollins in 1954 with a B.A. in Spanish. She thrived academically and developed lifelong friendships. As a student, she was a member of the Honor Court and Freya. Kay served on the Board of Trustees from 1996-2007, was named the first Hollins trustee emerita in 2008, and received the Hollins Medal in 2007. Kay and her high school sweetheart Van settled in Charlotte in 1955 and enjoyed 67 years of marriage until his death in 2022. In addition to raising a family and serving on numerous boards, Kay volunteered in the community and public schools. Believing that reading
How to Make a Gift
Hollins University Institutional Advancement Box 9629 Roanoke, VA 24020
• Hollins’ fiscal year runs July 1 through June 30
• Hollins’ Federal ID number is 54-0506314
Credit Card Online | Make your gift online at hollins.edu/giveonline.
Automatic Recurring Gifts with Credit or Debit Card | Establish monthly, quarterly, or even annual gifts with your credit or debit card.
Checks | Mail a check or set up an automatic bill pay with your financial institution.
Wire/ACH Transfer | Hollins will share account information for the transfer upon request.
was key to every child’s future success, she tutored and shared her love of reading for more than 25 years at Cotswold Elementary, Eastover Elementary, and Randolph Middle School.
What mattered most to Kay was the future of Hollins, the well-being of its faculty and staff, and ensuring young women have the same opportunities she did when she arrived in the fall of 1950.
Securities: Stocks and Bonds | Have your broker call or send an email to the Roanoke office of Morgan Stanley: jodie.wertz-sutphin@morganstanley.com or call them at (540) 983-4907 or (540) 983-4913.
Give Through Your IRA | If you are 73, a charitable gift up to $100,000 transferred from your IRA directly to Hollins will not be taxed and can also satisfy your required minimum distribution (RMD), maximizing the benefits to both you and Hollins.
Real Estate or Personal Property | Hollins may accept gifts of real estate or personal property for related use.
Payroll Deductions | Faculty and staff of Hollins University are eligible to sign up to make their gift to Hollins through payroll deduction.
