Distinguished Alumni Award

2023 Distinguished Alumna Award Recipients

Marcia Coyle DiBiagio '73

Marcia Coyle is a journalist, lawyer, book author, wife, mother and grandmother. She retired from daily newspaper journalism in December 2022 but has continued to report on the U.S. Supreme Court for PBS’s “The NewsHour”. She also writes about the court for the blog of the National Constitution Center. In 2013, Simon & Schuster published her book, “The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution.” She has reported on the Supreme Court and national legal issues, such as the death penalty, abortion, and environmental racism, for 36 years. Her work has garnered such national journalism awards as the Polk Award for Legal Reporting, the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award for outstanding investigative reporting, and the American Judicature Society Award for a career body of work covering the justice system. Marcia has a degree in English from Hood, a master’s of science in journalism from Northwestern University, and a law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.

Her Hood friends remember her quite fondly from 50 years ago. Her passion for journalism began with the Blue and Grey. A classmate reported that Marcia was the director of their Soph Revue— a big job and big commitment. Marcia was an inspiration with her creativity and hard work. No matter how busy she was, she always had a smile and time for everyone.

Today, Marcia and her husband live outside of Annapolis with their daughter, handsome three-year-old grandson and two basset hounds. Her son and his wife have a beautiful one-year-old granddaughter.

Mary L. Townley '83

Mary graduated from Hood in 1983 with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education. She taught in several positions in the Winchester, VA area for 7 years before moving to the Richmond in 1990. She continued teaching until early 1998 when she and her wife Carol, welcomed their daughter, Emily. After several more years teaching in the public schools, Mary developed an internship program at a health lab for high school students with special needs. From this, she co-founded a non-profit, The Next Move Program, which partnered high school students and young adults with special needs with local businesses. There the students learned on site job training as well as followed a curriculum teaching employment and social skills.

In 2013, Mary and her wife Carol became plaintiffs in a court case fighting the same sex marriage ban in Virginia. The case resolved in 2014 in their favor, with marriage equality won in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Hood classmates followed Mary and Carol and applaud their relentless efforts toward marriage equality. A classmate mentioned that Mary, Carol and Emily lead the charge to demonstrate that “Love is Love.” Mary’s efforts have and will continue to change the lives of many throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond for years to come.

Mary retired in 2020 and now spends her time with her family, her two Chihuahua mixes and a tabby cat. She volunteers at a local dog rescue.

Titilola "Lola" Jolaosho Falasinnu '03

Lola arrived at Hood via Nigeria and Canada. Following her successful undergraduate academic achievements, Lola earned a master's degree from Johns Hopkins University in epidemiology. She then completed her Doctorate from the University of British Columbia Center for Disease Control. Much of her academic research has focused on HIV. Dr. Falasinnu has co/authored multiple research study findings pertaining to global epidemiology of lupus, the increase in fentanyl-related deaths related to narcotic use and addiction, and the value of diversity in inclusion in all national/global medical research studies. Today, Lola serves as Assistant Professor of Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University Medicine. Her research has revealed the underrepresentation of minorities in clinical trials 

As a Hood student, she was named to the Dean’s List multiple times, was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society, and recipient of convocation awards.