![Maria Corina Machado]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1760542625/danahallorg/fqz7skimaek4d5awo7cs/Marcha_Caracas_02_febrero_2019_maria_corina_machado.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1760542625/danahallorg/fqz7skimaek4d5awo7cs/Marcha_Caracas_02_febrero_2019_maria_corina_machado.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1760542625/danahallorg/fqz7skimaek4d5awo7cs/Marcha_Caracas_02_febrero_2019_maria_corina_machado.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1760542625/danahallorg/fqz7skimaek4d5awo7cs/Marcha_Caracas_02_febrero_2019_maria_corina_machado.jpg","width":960}])
Friday, October 10 started early and loudly for A. Lebl ’26; a 6 a.m. fire drill in Wheeler dormitory had her up and out of bed before sunrise on a cold fall day. After the all-clear, she returned to her room, unable to fall back asleep, and began scrolling on TikTok. There, she saw the early morning announcement that the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize had been awarded to María Corina Machado.
The name sounded familiar to Lebl, and she remembered why: last year the International Student Association (ISA), of which Lebl is a tri-head, had started working on a presentation about notable international alumnae to share at a school meeting. Lebl explained, “I recognized the name, and immediately went into my Notes app to check. She went to Dana!”
Machado attended Dana Hall in 1982-83 as a boarding student from Venezuela. Records confirm that she lived in Johnston C. According to the Nobel Prize committee, she was awarded the prize “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy.”
On campus and online, word quickly spread of Machado’s Dana Hall connection, and thanks to ISA’s previous research, Lebl was able to make an announcement at Friday morning’s Upper School meeting in Waldo.
“To me, this moment is a reminder of what’s possible for every one of us here at Dana Hall. A Dana Hall education doesn’t just prepare you to succeed, but to make change, to lead, and to stand up for what’s right even when it’s hard,” Lebl told fellow students. The senior from São Paolo, Brazil felt a special connection to the Nobel Prize winner; like Machado, Lebl lived in Johnston C for two years, and has had the experience of being one of a small number of Latina boarding students at Dana Hall.
“The idea of standing up for what you believe in has resonated with our students, and is consistent with our school’s mission and values,” said Head of School Katherine Bradley. “This example of putting your life’s effort towards something that is purposeful and meaningful is very inspiring for our students and the entire Dana Hall community, past and present.”
Photo credit: Alex Cabello Leiva
