As Franklin & Marshall College welcomes alumni, family and friends to campus for True Blue Weekend Oct. 5-6, a roster of 51 student volunteers will be busy behind the scenes. You’ll spot them checking in guests at registration, setting up for tailgates and driving attendees around campus on golf carts.

“Our student volunteers really are rock stars leading up to and throughout the weekend,” said Megan Finlan, assistant director of alumni & student engagement. “The students are always eager and willing to hop in to lend a hand.” 

"While F&M is constantly looking toward the future, True Blue Weekend is a fun time to look at the past and celebrate what came before us."

Lucy Bupp ’27

One such student is sophomore Lucy Bupp, an F&M admission tour guide from Brogue, Pa., who intends to double major in biology and psychology.

“As a golf cart driver last year, I was constantly taking alumni both young and old around campus. It was incredibly interesting to hear stories from their time on campus, as well as hear about how the College has changed over the years,” Bupp said. 

Senior Gardelia Roman echoed that sentiment. 

“My favorite thing about True Blue Weekend is the number of alumni you get to interact with and talk to. It's very interesting hearing their stories about how F&M used to be back in the days,” said Roman, a psychology major and Latin American studies minor from Houston. 

Volunteering has provided the opportunity to “meet more people and connect with more alumni than I ever had before,” said senior Luis “Luigi” Altamirano.

“Everyone was a little bit stressed from midterm weeks. But on True Blue Weekend, everyone gets to have fun and show their school spirit a bit more than usual,” added Altamirano, a senior French major from the Bronx. 

For first-time volunteer Johansen Vargas, True Blue Weekend embodies the ethos of “F&M Together.” 

“I love how tight-knit the campus is,” said Vargas, a junior computer science and music major from Brooklyn. “We’re all Diplomats, and we'll always be Diplomats. We take care of one another.”

“We’re all Diplomats, and we'll always be Diplomats. We take care of one another,” said student volunteer Johansen Vargas '26. (Photo by Deb Grove)

True Blue Weekend student volunteers regroup during golf cart training in front of the new Samuel N. and Dena M. Lombardo Welcome Center. (Photo by Deb Grove)

“While F&M is constantly looking toward the future, True Blue Weekend is a fun time to look at the past and celebrate what came before us,” said Lucy Bupp '27, pictured front left. (Photo by Deb Grove)

True Blue student volunteers gather at an Oct. 3 golf cart training led by Daniel Kahler, director of environmental health, safety and risk management, pictured far left. (Photo by Deb Grove)

Justin Herbert '09, director of prospect management & research, joins True Blue Weekend student volunteers. (Photo by Deb Grove)

Volunteering has provided the opportunity to “meet more people and connect with more alumni than I ever had before,” said Luis “Luigi” Altamirano ’25, pictured driving the golf cart. (Photo by Deb Grove)

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