In conjunction with its annual Hollins Day celebration on February 22, Hollins University has donated 182 children’s books to Total Action for Progress (TAP). The books will be distributed to TAP Head Start, a preschool program for children three and four years old.
The books represent some of the many outstanding submissions Hollins receives each year for the Margaret Wise Brown Prize in Children’s Literature, which recognizes the author of the best text for a picture book published during the previous year. The award honors one of Hollins’ best-known alumnae and one of America’s most beloved children’s authors.
Hollins Day pays tribute to all who played a crucial role in the university’s institutional history. This year’s event centered on giving back to the Roanoke community in gratitude for serving as the institution’s home for nearly two centuries. In recognition of the university’s 182nd “birthday” in 2024, the gift of 182 books to TAP is intended to highlight the importance of early childhood literacy.
“Hollins is dedicated to academic excellence, creativity, belonging, and preparing students for lives of purpose,” said Hollins President Mary Dana Hinton. “That is our mission, and that includes our service to our community. Hollins Day is about celebrating who we are at Hollins today and creating a vibrant pathway for the future.”
As part of Hinton’s inauguration as Hollins’ 13th president in 2022, Hollins donated over 250 books across the Roanoke community to engage and encourage the imagination and literacy of children in the area.
Photo (left to right): Hollins University SGA President Israella Freidline ’24; Elizabeth Dulemba, director of Hollins’ graduate programs in children’s literature and illustration; TAP President and CEO Annette Lewis; and Hollins President Mary Dana Hinton with children’s books donated by the university to TAP Head Start.
