How to claim your MHC Account for DASH

Overview

Alums looking to access the new Donor and Alum Services Hub (DASH) first need to claim their MHC Account for DASH.

This article explains the account claim process, which includes:

• Updating/confirming your chosen name and MHC Account username
• Setting a recovery email address and/or phone number for account recovery and multi-factor authentication
• Setting a new MHC Account password
• Logging into DASH for the first time

Jump to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

The Account Claim process

1. Get the invite!

Before you can claim your account, you'll first need to receive the account claim invitation email. Invitation emails will be sent out in batches to alums starting in April 2026.

• Subject line: "Claim Your Mount Holyoke College Account for DASH"
• Sender email address: helpdesk@mtholyoke.edu

Once you receive the invitation email, you'll have the information you need to continue. 

2. Start your account claim

With your account claim invite in hand, you can begin!

1. Select the "Initiate your MHC Account claim process" link in the account claim invitation email.

2. Choose Next on the welcome screen to get started.

3. Enter the following information (found in your invitation email):

   • College ID
   • Personal email address
   • Authorization code

4. Submit.

5. Read and accept the Acceptable Use of Information Technology Policy and choose Next to continue. 

   • You'll need to read all the way to the bottom of the policy in order to accept it and continue.

3. Confirm or update your chosen name

The name the College has on file for you will be pre-filled under "Update your name." In accordance with the College's Chosen Name Policy, you can provide a different chosen first and last name on this screen if desired.

Providing a new name will:

• Update your name in your DASH profile. Please allow for up to 48 hours for the updated name to appear.
• Enable you to create a new login username for your MHC Account in the next section of the account claim process. 

4. Username selection

You have three options for your username:

1. Keep your pre-existing username: By default, the username we already have on file for you will appear. If you'd like to keep it, you're done with this section! Jump to the next step.

2. Select a different pre-generated username: To look at other pre-generated username options for your MHC Account, select the down arrow to the right of the "Select a username" box. Select one you like, or select Custom (instructions below).

3. Create a new custom username: You can create a custom username so long as it meets the College's username formatting conventions. If your name has changed since your original username was created, this is the way to get your new name reflected in your username. 

How to create a custom username

1. Select the down arrow  to the right of the "Select a username" box.
2. Select Custom.
3. Enter a custom username that meets the College's username formatting conventions (laid out below). Your username is easiest to change at this moment. Make sure you like what you create.  

Username formatting conventions

If your Chosen or Legal Last Name is 4 or fewer letters, or you only want to use 4 letters of your last name:

1. Start with your full Chosen or Legal last name (lowercase) OR its first 4 letters
2. Add three numbers between 2 and 9
3. Finally add the first two or three letters (lowercase) from your Chosen or Legal First Name

E.g. Mary Lyon might create the custom username “lyon333ma“

If your Chosen or Legal Last Name is 5 or more letters:

1. Start with the first 5 or 6 letters (lowercase) of your Chosen or Legal Last Name
2. Add two numbers between 2 and 9
3. Finally add the first two or three letters (lowercase) of your Chosen or Legal First Name

E.g. Hortense Parker might create the custom username “parker22ho“

5.  Enter your account recovery information

1. Add a recovery email address and/or phone number for your account. We highly recommend that you add both, and at least an email address. 

   • If you provide a U.S phone number at this step, it will also be automatically set as the number where you'll receive Duo multi-factor authentication codes for securely logging into the DASH portal going forward. 
   • If you don't provide a phone number at this step because you don't want to or you have an international phone number (which the account claim process isn't able to accept), then the first time you log into the DASH portal you'll be prompted to add a phone number for Duo multi-factor authentication. International phone numbers can be used to set up Duo on your first DASH login, just not during account claim. 

2. Choose Next.

3. Verify your recovery information by entering the PIN(s) you receive at the email address and/or phone number provided and selecting Verify to continue. 

6. Set a password

To ensure your account’s security, your password must meet the College’s password complexity requirements. You will be guided on the requirements in realtime as you type.

1. Enter a new password in the first Password box. 

2. Enter it again in the Confirm Password box.

3. When you're ready, select Set Password.

4. You'll briefly see a confirmation screen and then be redirected to the DASH portal login screen to continue.

Logging into DASH the first time

1. Select Please Login! 

2. If you're not automatically re-directed to the blue and white MHC Login screen, select "Mount Holyoke College Portal User SSO" to continue

3. Enter the username you selected/confirmed during account claim and the new password you created

4. Choose Login

5. Complete Duo multi-factor authentication (MFA)

   • If you entered a phone number during account claim, you're already set up in Duo and will receive an SMS text message with a verification code. Enter the code and submit it to continue to the DASH portal.
   • If you didn't enter a phone number during account claim, you'll be prompted to enter a phone number now to set up Duo MFA. You can enter an international phone number. Enter the phone number and continue. You'll receive an SMS text message with a code. Enter it on the screen and submit it to continue to the DASH portal. 
6. You should now be logged into the DASH portal.

Account Claim FAQs

I already have an MHC Account. Do I need to claim it to access DASH?

Yes. As part of launching DASH, we've also launched a new identity and access management platform. In order to activate your account in DASH and log in, you'll need to complete the account claim process.

Do I have to change my password when claiming my account?

Yes, setting a new password is a required part of the account claim process. 

If I have an active MHC Google account as an alum, what will happen when I claim my account for DASH? 

The password you set during your account claim will be your new password for MHC Google as well as DASH.

If you also change your username as part of your account claim, your MHC email address will also change. The old email address will still route messages to your inbox so you won't miss any mail, but you'll need to log back into the MHC Google account with [newusername]@mtholyoke.edu and the password you set later on in the account claim process.  

I haven't gotten my account claim invitation email yet. When will I get it?

Invitation emails will be sent out in batches to alums starting in April 2026. If you haven't gotten it by mid May, reach out to dashsupport@mtholyoke.edu for guidance. 

Am I required to use Duo multi-factor authentication for my DASH account?

Yes, all DASH accounts must be secured with Duo multi-factor authentication. All alum DASH users are set up to complete Duo verification via SMS text message. If you need help with Duo, please request MHC Account access support.

If I provide a new chosen name during account claim will that new name be automatically added to my DASH profile?

Yes. New names provided during account claim will become the name on your DASH profile, though may take up to 48 hours after account claim to be reflected there. You can edit your name in your DASH profile yourself again as needed. Changes to your name after account claim will not affect your username.

If I provide a new email address or phone number as account recovery methods during my account claim, will my contact info in DASH be updated as well? 

No. Providing new contact information for account recovery will not update it on your DASH profile for use in College communications or to display in the new alum directory. These contact methods will only be used for self-service account recovery. Once you claim your account and log into DASH, you'll be able to manage your contact information on your DASH profile. 

Updates to the email address labeled "personal" on your DASH profile page will be synced back to our identity and access management system for self-service account recovery actions. Changes to your phone number on your DASH profile page won't be synced back.