F&M Stories

TRUE BLUE Weekend Blows in With Homecoming, Inauguration and Capital Campaign

A nor'easter's winds and rain could not sweep away the festivities at Franklin & Marshall's Oct. 26-28 TRUE BLUE Weekend, where the College launched a $200 million capital campaign, celebrated the inauguration of its 16th president, and Homecoming and Family Weekend activities brought together thousands of students, parents and alumni.

Friday evening, the College publicly launched the most ambitious comprehensive campaign in its history, "Now to Next," at a gala in the Alumni Sports and Fitness Center. More than 450 people attended the event, which featured live, interactive presentations by F&M faculty and students, as well as the formal announcement program.

In the ASFC Saturday morning, Barbara K. Altmann was inaugurated as Franklin & Marshall's 16th president. Delegates from more than 80 colleges and universities participated, as did representatives of several of the College's constituencies.

Despite the rain, alumni, friends and families made their way to dozens of events in almost every corner of campus throughout Saturday afternoon. At one event, attendees took part in an interactive design-thinking exercise in Shadek-Fackenthal Library, where they glimpsed the innovative approaches to learning being used by faculty.

In one of the most well-attended events, guests packed Stahr Auditorium for a lively discussion of presidential politics and the midterm election led by Stephen Medvic, the Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government, and Terry Madonna, director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs.

For more highlights, view the gallery:

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