A transformational gift of $1 million from Brett Harwood ’71 will support F&M’s vibrant Jewish life programming, foster campus dialogue, fund a faculty position and boost the College’s student retention efforts. 

Harwood, a former Trustee and a constant presence at Diplomats’ gatherings from New York to Florida, has long considered F&M his highest philanthropic priority. His latest gift supports a wide array of initiatives centered on Jewish life, with designations spanning student life, academics, career preparation and networking, and the College’s efforts to ensure enrolled students have the resources and support necessary to successfully earn their Franklin & Marshall degree.

“Brett’s investment affirms who we are: a welcoming and diverse campus where students are supported in expressing their full selves and preparing for lives of leadership and purpose,” said President Andrew Rich. “Brett’s gift is transformational and ensures that our students have the resources, mentorship and spaces they need not only to feel a strong sense of belonging, but to practice the kind of thoughtful, civil inquiry that defines a Franklin & Marshall education. I am grateful to Brett for his leadership and his enduring commitment to our students.”

“Change — and the philanthropy that makes it possible — doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It has to be timely, and it has to be appropriate,” says Harwood, who considers one of his greatest strengths the ability to create connections that span generations of Diplomats. “These gifts, this mission, it’s perfect for me.”

Harwood’s gift comes at a timely moment at Franklin & Marshall. This year, the College celebrates dual milestones: the 60th anniversary of Hillel’s founding on campus took place this February, and the 18th anniversary of the founding of the Klehr Center for Jewish Life — an auspicious date that aligns with the Jewish concept of chai, or life, and a symbol of life, good luck and blessing — will be celebrated this fall.

"I've spent a lot of time in my life encouraging people's success. Their success is at the heart of my philanthropy."

Brett Harwood '71 treasures the network he's built — and the connections he's helped facilitate for others. He frequently attends alumni office hours in Harwood Commons, a program facilitated by the Center for Career and Professional Development.

Welcoming the Next Generation of Diplomats

For Harwood, his gift is about ensuring that the next generation of students feels the same sense of belonging and support that he experienced as an undergraduate and that he continues to value as an alum. His relationship with F&M is not one he’s taken for granted, and he realizes for others, those relationships must be cultivated to thrive.

He recalls a series of conversations he had with F&M alumni and parents in October 2023 following a rise of global concern and uncertainty for Jews around the world. He calls those friends his “working group,” who together asked how they could step up and support Franklin & Marshall at a time when donors at other colleges were scaling back their own philanthropy.

“We decided that we wanted to accomplish some things for the College, for current students and prospective students, for alumni,” says Harwood. “We saw our ability to help the F&M community prosper, [including] prospective students who want to come to F&M and to feel welcome.”

One of their first objectives was to create a permanent endowment for  the Klehr Center for Jewish Life, which was successfully completed in 2025 and named in honor of Ralph S. Taber, Ph.D. P’16. Taber, a former director of the Klehr Center and mentor to countless Diplomats, spent more than 34 years working to support student life at F&M. Harwood’s gift helped complete the fundraising necessary to endow that position.

That work, Harwood recalls, was the first part of the puzzle. His next gift, he says, was intentionally designed and built — akin to how he views F&M’s academic experience.

Fostering a Culture of Discourse Across Difference

An important designation of Harwood’s gift involves what he considers the character of F&M. The Harwood & Krieger Campus Dialogue Fund is designed to facilitate programming that increases understanding across the campus community. Harwood believes that the ability to navigate complex conversations is both the hallmark of an F&M education and an essential tool to navigate the challenges students experience as undergraduates and in their lives after graduation.

“F&M alumni and students are called Diplomats for a reason,” Harwood notes. “[This gift] will create a forum for really difficult discussions so that as students confront difficult and challenging issues, they experience a vehicle and a process for them to be able to have those tough discussions for the rest of their lives.”

Harwood was thrilled to know that his interest in civil and productive conversations on challenging topics is a priority for F&M and that President Andrew Rich often highlights the necessity of developing such skills. His gift aligns with those values: F&M was recently invited to join the Institute for Citizens & Scholars’ Campuswide Immersion program, a cohort of nonprofit institutions working to prepare students for lives of leadership and civic engagement. 

Promoting Academic Excellence and Mentorship

The gift also establishes the Harwood & Krieger Judaic Studies Fund, which will support a visiting post-doctoral fellow in Judaic Studies at F&M. This role will not only support the College’s academic curriculum and contribute to scholarly campus discourse but also provide students with the kind of faculty mentorship that Harwood credits for his own success.

Reflecting on his years as an undergraduate, Harwood recalls the impact of professors like Sid Wise and Ed Brubaker ’49. Those relationships defined his time on campus and helped kickstart his tenure as “the great connector,” a role he embraces today as an alumni volunteer and career mentor for current students.

Harwood’s gift will also provide resources to facilitate connections between current students and alumni. A frequent mentor to current students and the namesake of Harwood Commons, home of the Center for Career and Professional Development at F&M, he considers cultivating relationships among his greatest acts of service to the College.

“My lifetime of relationships has been incredibly important to me, but sometimes it takes a while to recognize the power of that and the power of being mentored. A number of my professors were very supportive of my advancement. I've spent a lot of time in my life encouraging people's success. Their success is at the heart of my philanthropy.”

Delivering on a Sound Investment

For Harwood, student success is the ultimate goal – at F&M, and long after they graduate. That’s why Harwood’s gift also aims to bolster student retention. F&M graduates experience an excellent return on their investment, and ensuring students return each year to complete their degree requirements is part of the College’s commitment to each undergraduate and their family.

“It takes two for retention. It takes the student to be able to communicate that things might not be working [for them],” says Harwood, who thinks back to a pep talk his father gave him before he returned for his second, more successful, year of law school. “But F&M has intervention plans, and these funds will help reinforce those resources to ensure our students will be successful.”

Enhancing the Student Experience

Thanks to the support of donors like Harwood, Jewish life continues to be a visible and vibrant part of F&M’s community. Students who choose F&M quickly discover a campus environment that is welcoming, engaging and inclusive. Rachel Singer, director of the Klehr Center for Jewish Life and F&M Hillel, says Harwood’s gift reinforces that commitment and strengthens the College’s ability to connect with students and families as they explore what F&M has to offer.

“Brett’s gift enables F&M to engage students earlier by highlighting Jewish life on campus, communicating pathways to community and belonging, and showcasing leadership opportunities," Singer explains. “His support gives us the tools to help prospective students better understand campus culture, identify and utilize support systems, and seize opportunities for leadership and connection well before they arrive on campus.”

To learn how you can make a gift in support of Jewish life and the students of F&M, contact Mary Ann M. Cooke, J.D. '90, senior director of trusts, estates and gift planning, at mcooke@fandm.edu or 717‐358-4821.