Elizabeth Topham Kennan (born February 25, 1938) is an American academic administrator who served as the 15th president of Mount Holyoke College from 1978 to 1995. She also served as president of the Five Colleges consortium from 1985 to 1994.[1] She had earlier taught medieval history at Catholic University in Washington, DC.
Kennan was professor of medieval history at Catholic University from 1966 to 1978 before joining Mount Holyoke as president from 1978 to 1995. As president of Mount Holyoke, she was a proponent of single-sex education, stating to the Los Angeles Times in 1994: "Single-sex education for girls is a proven method for ensuring that they reach their fullest potential. I will be the first to call for coeducation at Mount Holyoke, the country's oldest women's college, when our society grants young women equal status in coeducational settings".[1] Kennan was also president of the Five Colleges consortium for nine years (1985–1994) while at Mount Holyoke. Upon her retirement from Mount Holyoke in 1995, the Kennan Faculty Chair and Lectureship was established.[2]
In 2000, Kennan co-authored the mystery novel, Overnight Float, with Jill Ker Conway (former president of Smith College). The novel is published under the pen name "Clare Munnings" and was their first venture into the mystery genre.