Franklin & Marshall College

Dear Parents,

Parents often ask me how they can be involved with F&M. It is always wonderful to hear that so many parents are eager to support the College's continued progress by volunteering their valuable time. There are two terrific ways to become actively involved at significant times for the College and for our students -- the entry of each new class, and the launch of our graduates:

• Join the Franklin & Marshall Admission Network (FAN). If you'd like to help spread the positive word of F&M in your area, join FAN today. Members of FAN expand our admission presence by representing F&M at college fairs, and connecting with prospective and admitted applicants and their parents.

• Become a mentor to our students, through the Office of Student & Post-Graduate Development. Help them prepare for life beyond college. Complete the mentorship survey, which takes less than five minutes, to indicate ways in which you would like to serve as a mentor/resource.
  Thank you for your enthusiastic willingness to further F&M's mission.

All the best,

Maura Condon Umble '83
Director of Parent Relations
Franklin & Marshall College
maura.umble@fandm.edu
717-291-3888

Commencement 2013 Update

Senior parents recently received a letter at home from Dean of the College Kent Trachte with important details about Commencement Weekend, May 10-12. The notice included information about the weekend's schedule, on- and off-campus accommodations, and encouragement to visit the Commencement website for further details. This is good information for all parents -- your student will be a senior before you know it! Please take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions feature. All family members and friends are welcome to attend F&M's graduation, whether the ceremony is held inside or outside. We anticipate a momentous and exciting event, and look forward to seeing you on campus in May.

Save the Date for Homecoming & Family Weekend

It's never too early to begin planning your visit to campus next fall for Homecoming & Family Weekend 2013! The big event will be held Friday through Sunday, Oct. 4-6. Check out photos of last year's great event.

What's Your Legacy?

The senior giving campaign, called "What's Your Legacy?" and led by Dan Miller '13 and Jackie Behr '13, strives to encourage students to begin a lifelong commitment to giving back to F&M. They are encouraging their classmates to donate personalized gifts to clubs, academic departments, athletic programs and other affiliations that have shaped their development at F&M. The campaign leaders are working hard to reach an unprecedented level of 90 percent giving participation among their classmates. Parents can play multiple roles to nurture these efforts:

• Senior parents: Encourage your graduating student to participate in the senior campaign.
• First-year, sophomore and junior parents: Educate your F&M student about the responsibility of giving back to the College, following the example of the generations of generous alumni, parents and friends who came before them.
• Model philanthropy and altruism for your student by making a gift to the Franklin & Marshall Fund before the fiscal year ends on June 30. If you've already given this year, thank you! Share with your student how good it feels to be part of the positive momentum at F&M.

Common Hour Brings Speakers to Campus

Have you heard of Common Hour? This wonderful program of culturally and academically enriching events brings the F&M campus together every Thursday in the middle of the day during the academic year, when faculty and administrators agree not to schedule any other activities. Students, faculty and staff are called to Common Hour by the ringing of the bell in the tower of Old Main, and they gather for a speaker with pizza and apples provided for lunch.

A recent Common Hour presenter, who spoke as part of Civil Rights Week at F&M, was Cornel West, a renowned professor of philosophy and Christian practice at Union Theological Seminary and professor emeritus at Princeton University. He is the author of 20 books, and is best known for his classics "Race Matters" and "Democracy Matters." Enjoy a video of West's presentation here.

Visit the Common Hour website for more information.

 

Celebrating a Life

Our entire community is terribly saddened by the death of Eric H. Phillips '15. We came together for a beautiful memorial service on campus last month to celebrate Eric’s life. While we may never know the cause of his death, what we do know is the impact he made on so many lives. He will be greatly missed.

News for Parents from the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development

The Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development at F&M is a resource for your student now, and will continue to be a resource for your student well into his or her life as an F&M alumnus or alumna. Did you know:

• On March 5, 40-plus regional and national employers recruited F&M students and alumni on campus at the College's Job & Internship Fair.
• On April 11, sophomores will celebrate the academic milestone of declaring a major at the Second Annual Declaration Dinner, where sophomores will be seated by their newly declared major with faculty and alumni of that department. (Please encourage your sophomore students to attend this exceptional event if they haven't already signed up.)
• Also in April, the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development and the Washington, D.C., Regional Chapter of the F&M Alumni Association will co-sponsor a trek to D.C. for 30 F&M students to learn about internships and careers in government and public policy, while touring the U.S. Capitol and networking with alumni.
• You can keep updated about the office's internship and job listings, upcoming events, and new resources on its Facebook page.

Student Feedback Drives Dining Services Upgrades

Dining Services at F&M listens to and acts on student feedback received both from individuals and also the student-led Food Committee. Students have many options for dining. Recent changes our students are enjoying at some of them include:

• In D-Hall:
• The "My Zone" gluten-free platform was introduced.
• World Affairs extended the current menu to allow for more international foods, offering a different cuisine each day.
• At Salsa Rico:
• An organic salad bar was introduced.
• Brown rice and whole wheat tortillas were added as options for burritos.
• At Panini Junction:
• Six new Panini sandwiches were introduced.
• At Slice of Life:
• The menu was increased to include calzones, stromboli and fresh-baked pasta.
• At Flavors:
• An organic peanut butter and jelly sandwich was introduced.
• A new staple soup -- roasted red pepper and gouda bisque -- is now offered.

Financial Aid Deadlines Approaching

The Office of Financial Aid recently sent the following information to students: The deadline for applying for need-based financial aid for the 2013-14 academic year for all U.S. citizens and non F-1 Visa students is April 30. Your FAFSA, Profile and supporting documentation must be electronically date stamped no later than April 30. F&M utilizes the College Board's IDOC service for collection of your supporting documentation, which must also be sent to IDOC by April 30. For more information on applying for financial aid for next academic year, visit our website.