F&M Stories
At Franklin & Marshall College, we connect our students with extraordinary opportunities so they can accomplish great things in their four years on campus. Here are just a few of their stories.
03/02/2026
[Video] Thinkers, Doers, Diplomats: Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills ’72 on the Spirit of Service
For Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills ’72, an F&M education was the launchpad for a storied military career and a lifelong journey of discovery. As he watches today’s Diplomats walking the same paths he once did, Mills sees a familiar pilgrimage toward...
02/24/2026
Brett Harwood ’71 Makes $1 Million Gift to Support Jewish Life, Student Experience
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.
02/24/2026
F&M Alumnae Power Students’ Future Success in Finance
A recent gift from two F&M leaders provides annual funding for hands-on career experiences.
02/20/2026
Work on the Wild Side with Lillian Basom '08, F&M Vivarium Director
Lillian Basom ’08 loved Franklin & Marshall’s vivarium so much that she never left. In fact, she has been the director of operations since 2011. The research facility houses a variety of rodents, reptiles, birds, fish, invertebrates and capuchin...
02/12/2026
Striking the Right Chord
Award-winning songwriter Bruce Sussman ’71 founded Franklin & Marshall’s first a cappella group on a whim in 1968. Alumni and current members reflect on the group’s origins and influence.
02/06/2026
From F&M to Film Career: Independent Producer Jesse Hope ’13
Fresh off a premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, film producer Jesse Hope ’13 shares his career path from F&M – from the set of Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” to his own independent features.
02/03/2026
Coral, Caves and Ice Cores: The Path to Hydrology for Monica Arienzo ’08
Hydrology research has taken Monica Arienzo ’08 to coral reefs in the U.S. Virgin Islands, underwater caves in the Bahamas and ice cores in Antarctica and Greenland.
01/26/2026
Fraternity & Sorority Life at F&M Builds Community Across Generations
Fraternity and sorority life has a remarkable history at F&M, with the oldest fraternity on campus dating back to 1854. Today, Greek life is experiencing a resurgence of interest from students and a renaissance on campus. Fraternities and sororities...
01/05/2026
Jim Dicker Begins as F&M’s New Vice President for College Advancement
Jim Dicker began as F&M’s new Vice President for College Advancement on Jan. 5. He brings more than 35 years of experience as a leader in philanthropy and advancement.
12/02/2025
Publishing Alumni Share Postgraduate Paths
Learn how F&M shaped the professional lives of four alumni working in publishing. “Franklin & Marshall was the only school where I felt like creative writing was important,” said Rebecca (Bolstein) Chen ’14, editor at TOKYOPOP.
11/24/2025
A Diplomat in Every Sense: Vassilis Coutifaris '09
“I believe the liberal arts value of F&M is that it trains all of us, in a way, to be a bit more adaptive,” said Vassilis Coutifaris '09, who made the fitting jump from F&M Diplomat to a career in international affairs. See what advice Coutifaris...
11/06/2025
Ken Mehlman ’88 Makes Historic $7.5 Million Gift to Power F&M Athletics and Wellness
A new $7.5 million gift from Ken Mehlman ’88, Franklin & Marshall College Trustee and Board Vice Chair, is the College’s largest gift in support of athletics and wellness. It will be used to begin construction of the Mehlman Center for Strength,...