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Dear Parents,
What a wild winter it’s been! One day brings snow and ice (including a rare delayed opening of Franklin & Marshall recently); the next brings warm, spring-like air (and slush and mud!). At the same time, the campus is alive with activities, events, the conclusion of winter athletics and the launch of spring sports, and as always, our students and faculty working, learning, and having fun together.
Here are some things you may want to know about.
January First Year Students
The College welcomed its first class of January First Year students last month. These students begin a new tradition for Franklin & Marshall – one that welcomes a new group of freshmen beginning each spring semester. These students are the first members of the class of 2012 and we are delighted to have them. And we warmly welcome their parents into the Franklin & Marshall parent community!
Emerging Writers Festival
Has your student taken advantage of the offerings of The Philadelphia Alumni Writers House here at F&M? It is one of the most active, intellectually stimulating, and engaging organizations on campus. As their mission statement declares, “more than a community is evoked” at the Writers House. “It is here where the imagination has no limits and dreams meet reality. We believe that academic and artistic endeavors are fundamentally connected to everyday life.” Check out their impressive schedule. One of the highlights of their busy calendar each year is the Emerging Writers Festival coming up on April 9 -11 this spring. Read about the writers scheduled to participate in the Emerging Writers Festival and encourage your student to participate.
Forums on Presidential Politics
The Franklin & Marshall Forums on Presidential Politics held in recent months in Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York and Lancaster have been some of the College’s most successful regional events in our long history. Nearly 1,500 parents, alumni and friends of the College have attended these events. Take a look at some video clips from the January 31 NYC Forum. These wonderful events have helped us launch the Campaign for Business, Government & Public Policy, one of the College’s top fundraising priorities.
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Links of Interest
Off Campus:
On Campus:
F&M In Your Area
Franklin & Marshall's regional chapters are thriving and planning a lot of events for alumni and parents. Bookmark our Regional Events page and check it often for details and registration information for F&M events in your area. |
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When You Want to Send a Unique Gift to Your Child
Nothing dissolves finals/roommate/basic college stress or celebrates a special day better than a gift sent through the actual mail (or next-day UPS, if you need it to get there fast). E-mail is great, but let’s face it, a box of good karma is even better. The Good Karma Plus Box, created by my F&M classmate, Mimi Munson Kolb ’83, contains Zen Tea and Karma in a Can to give your student great vibes. It’s only one of the gift boxes Mimi’s company, Bento Box Gifts, has created. Does the world’s next great doctor need some love? Consider the XXOO box (and buy one for yourself, too). Visit the website to learn more about Mimi’s creative approach to gift-giving at www.BentoBoxGifts.com. Or contact Mimi directly at mimi@bentoboxgifts.com.
Have Some CLAS!
As its website states, the Center for Liberal Arts & Society (CLAS) at Franklin & Marshall “endeavors to provide a vibrant, intellectual space where faculty, students, and staff, as well as our fellow citizens in Lancaster, can learn, analyze, and reflect on the complex and challenging issues facing us all. By connecting academic studies in the liberal arts and sciences to pressing cultural and social questions--from the expansion of democratic participation, the ethics and politics of war and peace, to the mechanics of how people learn, we aim to demonstrate the critical relevance of liberal learning to civic life.” Take a look at the CLAS schedule for the rest of the semester. Encourage your child to attend these events (and know that parents are most welcome too!).
Spring Break Transportation Planning
Whether your student is coming home to spend spring break (3/15/08 – 3/23/08) with you or zipping to some exotic, sunny location, you may be thinking about travel logistics. To get to the Lancaster Train/Bus Station, or to get to the region’s three airports (Harrisburg, Philadelphia or Baltimore/Washington International), there are several options:
- F&M’s Airport/Train Station Shuttle Service: Reservation deadline for spring break shuttles is Friday, March 7, 2008.
- Friendly Transportation (717.392.2222) provides everything from taxis to private drivers. Call ahead for reservations.
- The Philadelphia International Airport is accessible by train (Amtrak from Lancaster to Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station and then SEPTA from 30th Street Station to the airport).
- Little known fact: Lancaster has its own airport! Primarily serving private planes, The Lancaster Airport (actually located in nearby Lititz, PA) also provides some charter air services and helicopter rides.
March 7th: First Friday in Lancaster
If your student hasn’t yet discovered downtown Lancaster, here is the perfect opportunity. Each month, LancasterARTS sponsors First Friday – a celebration of our vibrant downtown. On the first Friday evening of each month, the city is teeming with thousands of pedestrians exploring the many shops and galleries that extend their hours until 9 pm. Also LancasterARTS introduces a new event this month: Artists' Saturday on March 29, 10 am - 2 pm, which showcases artists. Over 30 artists, gallery talks, demonstration, works in progress will be available in 23 participating venues. It’s all FREE (and therefore terrific for college students!).
Commencement Weekend: May 17-18, 2008
We look forward to seeing seniors’ families for the two days of graduation festivities which will begin with a picnic for families on Friday, May 16 on the residential quad at 11:30 am followed by the Baccalaureate service at 2 pm. Planned by members of the senior class, Baccalaureate consists of reflections, performances and readings where students, their families, faculty and administrators reflect upon and recall the learning and challenges, the relationships and friendships, the tears and laughter, the competition and performances that have defined the past four years. Baccalaureate is followed immediately by the President's Reception, which is an excellent opportunity to meet members of the faculty and administration, as well as other students, parents and guests. Then, Saturday, May 17 at 10 am is the big event! Graduation typically lasts approximately two hours and is followed by a reception for all with light snacks and soft drinks. No tickets or reservations for commencement events are necessary. Whether the events occur inside or out (depending on weather), all are welcome.
Got Wrestling?
On March 8 - 9, 2008, Franklin & Marshall will host the 104th Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championship – an exciting opportunity not only for our athletic community, but really for the entire college. Wrestlers from Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Navy, Penn, Princeton, and others will be here, along with our Diplomats, competing on the mats in Mayser. Our own Justin Herbert ‘09, who is ranked in the top 10 in the nation in pins, is just one of the Diplomats sure to treat spectators to an inspiring performance. Check GoDiplomats.com for EIWA results as well as to learn about upcoming spring athletic contests on campus and in your area.
Calling All Parents (Literally!)
Join other parents, alumni and friends as we contact fellow parents and alumni to ask for support of the Franklin & Marshall Fund, and to advertise upcoming regional Franklin & Marshall events. These are great opportunities to volunteer your time to a wonderful effort – supporting your child’s college while also getting to know some other Franklin & Marshall folks in your area.
Baltimore Regional Phonathon
Date/Time: Wednesday March 12, 6 - 9pm
Location: Miles & Stockbridge P.C., 10 Light St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Hosted by Craig Enck ‘85
A light dinner will be served and following the phonathon, we’ll head over to M&S Grill (201 E. Pratt Street) for a wrap-up celebration.
Lancaster Regional Phonathon
Date/Time: Tuesday March 18 & Wednesday March 19, 12 – 3 pm and 6 – 9 pm
Location: Office of College Advancement (College Square, second floor), Franklin & Marshall College
A light meal will be served and following the phonathon, we’ll head over to Iron Hill Brewery for a wrap-up celebration.
Washington DC Regional Phonathon
Date/Time: Thursday March 27, 6 – 9 pm
At Sughrue Mion, PLLC, 2100 Pennsylvania Ave NW Ste 800, Washington, DC 20037
Hosted by Jody Haller Drake ‘77
A light dinner will be served and following the phonathon, we’ll head over to the Old Ebbitt Grill (676 15th Street NW) for a wrap-up celebration.
Please contact me (717.291.3888 or maura.umble@fandm.edu) if you would like to participate – I hope to hear from you!
Dying to Be Thin
Talk to your student about eating disorders. He/she recently received an e-mail from Health Services encouraging him/her to participate in an anonymous eating habits and body image survey and to seek help from Counseling Services or Health Services with any concerns. Here are the facts:
- One in five women struggle with serious eating and body image problems or a diagnosable eating disorder.
- An estimated 10 - 15% of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.
- Eating disorders have the highest death rate of any psychological disorder.
- Of people suffering from an eating disorder, 20% will die from complications related to their disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
Scholar’s Square
The Library staff has launched an exciting campus-wide program - http://library.fandm.edu/dspace.html. This is a web-based, permanent archive of F&M's scholarly publications and research material. It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase and preserve the extensive intellectual capital of the F&M community.
Mark Your Calendar
Family Weekend 2008 will take place on September 26 - 28, 2008. Mark your calendar today! If you have ideas, suggestions, feedback about Franklin & Marshall’s Family Weekend, please let me know in an e-mail (maura.umble@fandm.edu) with the subject line reading “Family Weekend Ideas.”
President Fry’s Recent Letter to Parents & Alumni
In case President Fry’s recent letter got buried in a pile of mail at your house, you might want to take another look. The word that has to come to mind after reading his account of the highlights of Franklin & Marshall’s accomplishments over recent months and years is MOMENTUM. No other word best describes the past five years at Franklin & Marshall. Your financial support of the College is the best way to ensure this momentum continues. Your gift to the Franklin & Marshall Fund not only sends a vote of confidence to President Fry and other College leaders, but also allows you to directly enhance your child’s day-to-day experience. Moreover, your donation helps to guarantee the ever-increasing value of the Franklin & Marshall diploma.
Partner with President Fry and with scores of other parents by making a gift today. If you’ve already given to the Franklin & Marshall Fund during this fiscal year (July 1 – June 30), consider increasing your impact with a second gift. Gifts of all sizes are welcomed and appreciated. The Benjamin Franklin Society recognizes leadership donors beginning with gifts of $1,787 (commemorating the College’s founding year). Any gift can be made in honor of your child or in honor of anyone on campus who has played a special role in your child’s life. You can make your gift online, send in a check (see address below), make a gift of securities, call our toll-free credit card line (1.800.955.6654) or simply contact me (717.291.3888 or maura.umble@fandm.edu) and I’d be delighted to facilitate the transaction.
Thank you for your consideration and for your interest in Franklin & Marshall College!
All the best,
Maura Condon Umble ‘83
Director of Parent Programs
Office of College Advancement
Franklin & Marshall College
maura.umble@fandm.edu
717.291.3888
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