How to give to the Geoscience Founders Society

You may mail a check made out to Franklin & Marshall College to the following address. Just add "Geoscience Founders Society" to the memo line on the check:

Chris Williams
Department of Earth and Environment
Franklin and Marshall College
PO Box 3003
Lancaster, PA 17604-3003

You may also donate to the Geoscience Founders Society online as follows:

1. Navigate to the F&M Giving Website 
2. Select “Give Online” from the link about half way down the page.
3. This will open up a secure giving page.
4. Fill out your information and near the bottom of the page under “Additional Options" click on “Special Gift Instructions”. In the text box that asks "If you would like to provide additional gift instructions, please do so here:” Add the following text: "Please direct this gift to the GEOSCIENCE FOUNDERS SOCIETY”

The Geoscience Founders Society connects the Department with the work experience of alumni and friends, rekindles the camaraderie and spirit of alumni, and provides support and encouragement for faculty and students as they continue the long tradition of excellence in Geosciences at Franklin & Marshall.

Geoscience Founders Society:

• Provides an avenue of communication to connect the Franklin and Marshall College Earth and Environment Department with its geosciences alumni and friends.
• Provides support and encouragement to the faculty and students to continue the long tradition of excellence in Franklin and Marshall Geosciences.
• Provides information to alumni, friends and the public about the Department and its role in the Geosciences community and the world.

The concept for the Society originated with Dave Lehman '69 and Paul Gucwa '68. They recognized that F&M Geosciences alumni are some of the most productive and influential members of the scientific community. They recognized that there was no unifying organization to connect the Department and alumni. Dave and Paul met with Dr. Carol deWet and proposed a Society modeled loosely on an alumni association at the University of Texas. An inaugural meeting was held during the 2002 Alumni Weekend. At that meeting a framework for the Society was established, by-laws proposed and officers elected. Today the Society has over 180 members. 

Here are some examples of how gifts to the Founders Society support the Department:

•    Research Grants for majors. We are able to offer up to $1,500 a year to assist students conducting independent research with faculty. 
•    Student Awards ($500 each): The Founders Society provides select student awards such as the Wise-Beutner Structural Geology Award.
•    The Founders Society provides funding for several $3,000 field camp scholarships to help students offset the cost of attending a field camp like YBRA to meet the requirements of the major.
•    Grants to fund student participation at professional conferences (e.g., GSA, AGU) are provided by the Society.
•    Faculty Research Grants: Faculty may each use up to $650 a year to help pay research-related costs (e.g., analytical fees, thin-section prep, travel costs).
•    Field excursions such as the recent “Grand Canyon Trip” that provide our majors with real world exposure to diverse environments.

•    The Founders Society pays for a weeklong "Energy Trip" for students. This rich and immersive experience will place our majors alongside practicing professionals in the energy industry to learn about geologic, business and lifecycle elements of oil and gas alongside renewable energy production. 
•    The Society pays to produce two newsletter per year and an annual calendar.  Read the recent Winter and Summer Newsletters

Contact Information

Lane D. Schultz, Ph.D. '66  Founders Society President , lane.schultz@verizon.net 

Bob Walter, Ph.D. Founders Society Director, robert.walter@fandm.edu / 717-358-7198