1975-1995
Selected as Hood’s first woman president in 1975, Martha E. Church was recognized as one of the 100 most effective college and university presidents in the nation. She had been a college professor and dean, as well as an administrator of a higher education accrediting association, before coming to Hood. A graduate of Wellesley College, she earned her master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a doctoral degree from the University of Chicago.
During her tenure, the College confirmed its commitment to diversity, revised its curriculum and enhanced its academic reputation, instituted a nationally recognized honors program, strengthened services for adult learners, expanded the Hood Graduate School and, through state-of-the-art technology, established its Career Center as a national model. The Board of Associates awarded its first grants to faculty and staff for professional research, and the Board of Trustees established the Beneficial Chair in Economics, the Giles Chair in Early Childhood Education, and the Virginia E. Lewis Lecture Series. The Graduate School offered new degree programs in computer science, business administration and environmental science.
Under her leadership, Hood’s endowment grew from $2 million to $37 million. During Dr. Church’s administration, several buildings were built: the Beneficial-Hodson Library and Information Technology Center, the Hodson Science link, the Lawrence Marx Jr. Resource Management Center and the Joseph A. Pastore Facilities Center. An 18-station one-mile exercise track was built and a number of buildings underwent extensive renovations.
Dr. Church’s goal as president was “to make Hood College and Frederick a center for women of all ages.”
