Emma Willard in the News

Emma Willard School Mourns Passing of Board Chair

April 29, 2008

ariana Stroock Leighton, a leader in education in New York City, died of complications from lung cancer on April 25 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, New York City. She was 71.

Mrs. Leighton served as chairman of the board of trustees of Emma Willard School, a private independent school for girls in Troy, from which she graduated in 1955. While serving on the board, Mrs. Leighton’s dedication toward educating young girls allowed her to help create programs that encouraged students to be independent thinkers.

“Mariana embodied the very best of what it means to be an Emma Willard woman. She was smart, she was accomplished, she was courageous. She was a wise and compassionate leader, a beloved mother, wife and friend, living a life of substance with grace, strength and an ample measure of the best sort of humor,” said Trudy Hall, head of Emma Willard School.

Mrs. Leighton’s work in education began in 1960 with teaching elementary school children at the Charles River School in Dover, Mass. From the late 1960s to 1997 she worked in education administration in New York City, first at Park Avenue Christian Church Day School, later as the head of the lower school of the Allen-Stevenson School, then as head of the lower school of the Trinity School in New York City. With Mrs. Leighton’s direction and guidance Trinity’s lower school became co-educational.

In 1992 she became acting head of the Calhoun School, a college preparatory school in New York City. A year later, Mrs. Leighton was named head of school, a position she held for five years. Under her leadership, Calhoun made a special commitment to encourage students and faculty to become well versed in computer technology—through major investments in hardware, teacher education and expanded student courses in the lower school grades.

Mrs. Leighton was born in New York City and received her bachelor of arts degree from the University of Michigan and masters degree from New York University. She is survived by her husband; two daughters, Sandra L. Galvin and Michelle S. Leighton; three grandchildren; and two brothers.

The family requests that contributions be made to Emma Willard School or The Gillen Brewer School, New York, N.Y. where she served as a member of the board of since 2003.

For more information, contact Christine R. Hoek at choek@emmawillard.org, (518) 833-1362.