While in many ways a successful student, he felt adrift and thought about transferring.

“I was feeling my way,” Ross recalls. “At times, there were academic and social issues.  There was not a lot of visible African-American leadership on campus, and I—along with many other students—felt isolated on many occasions.”

Ross was president of the Black Student Union—advocating for stronger integration of intellectual, cultural, and social activities for black students, as well as seeking to support members to achieve their educational goals. African-Americans comprised just 3.5 percent of the student body, about half the percentage of African-American students on campus today.

Enter Art Taylor ’80, a member of the Franklin & Marshall College Alumni Association who had identified similar needs to support and inspire African-American students on campus and to build connections with alumni. Taylor, an attorney and College trustee, asked Ross to become a charter member of an affinity group that not only would recognize the College’s accomplished African-American graduates, but also would provide African-American students with the best experience possible during their time on campus and beyond.

F&M’s African-American Alumni Council has played a role in the success stories of both alumni and students. Pictured here (l—r) are Chyann Starks ’13, Sydney Bridgett ’51, AAAC chair Tony Ross ’91 and RaeVaughn Williams ’15. Photo by Melissa Hess.

The hope was that students would benefit from the experiences of and guidance from a community that began with F&M’s first African-American graduate, Sumner Bohee Jr., M.D., ’50 and has continued with such prominent national and community leaders as retired Lancaster teacher Sydney Bridgett ’51; former U.S. Rep. and United Negro College Fund President William H. Gray ’63; the prominent Rev. Louis A. Butcher ’65 of Lancaster; and 500 others. Thus was the birth of what would come to be known as the African-American Alumni Council (AAAC), a model of support that today extends to the entire campus and is fully engaged in the College’s mission to offer a holistic liberal arts education to students of all backgrounds.

“The Council is one of the major reasons that I remained at F&M,” says Ross, who now is president of the United Way of Pennsylvania, based in Harrisburg. He has been chair of AAAC since 1993. “It made me feel connected to the College and gave me a certain comfort level. It was very important to hear the success stories of these alumni and to know there would be opportunities after F&M.”

Twenty-five years later, the African-American Alumni Council is one of the most active affinity groups at Franklin & Marshall. Membership has grown from about 45 graduates in 1988 to more than 250 today, Ross says. The organization is involved in key College initiatives to attract and retain high-achieving students of all backgrounds who are likely to succeed at a selective liberal arts college such as F&M. It also serves as a proud resource for students—including first-generation students who do not have a model for navigating college life—and for alumni as they progress in their careers.

“We are different things to different folks at different times in their lives,” Ross says. “We emphasize that our members are citizens of F&M for a lifetime, not just during their four years as undergraduates.”

Building Community–For a Lifetime

The AAAC is committed to ensuring that bonds with both F&M and the Council are formed when its members are still students.

RaeVaughn Williams ’15 is a living example of this. In August of 2011, 13 days before his scheduled arrival at the College from his home in New York, Williams was in a near-fatal car accident. He was on his way to get ice cream and cake to celebrate his sister’s christening when he was hit by a car, an event he remembers in “bits and pieces.” He was hospitalized for a month, a period during which he had a craniotomy to relieve the swelling in his brain, and was in a medically induced coma.

Williams, who still struggles at times to remember precise dates and words, has undergone rigorous therapy to regain his memory, movement and speech. He credits the AAAC and the Franklin & Marshall community with supporting him in his recovery.

“When I woke up, the first thing I said to my mom was, ‘I have to go to school,’” Williams says with a broad smile during a recent conversation at the Zest Bistro café on campus. President Daniel R. Porterfield visited him at the hospital, and his classmates signed a card that was half as tall as Williams.

“After the accident, the support I got from F&M and the Council expedited my recovery process,” he says. “My original prognosis was really bleak. When I got to the hospital, they told my mother there was a slim chance of my living. A bunch of classmates became my friends on Facebook after the accident saying, ‘I look forward to meeting you when you get here.’ Some of my closest friends now were the ones who messaged me when I was in the hospital.”

Once he arrived on campus, Williams and Ross had lunch, and the two discussed the best way for Williams to acclimate to F&M. Williams previously met Shadoe Tarver ’10, a fellow Posse Foundation Scholar, and Ross introduced him to Joaquim Hamilton ’06 of IMPACT, an F&M student group that supports students of diverse backgrounds. As Posse Scholars, Williams and Tarver both came to the College as part of a group of high-achieving students from the same urban area who were a good match for the College’s supportive, academically rigorous environment. The Posse Foundation is based on the premise that having a “posse,” or support network, in college is the key to success. The AAAC provided yet another network for Williams.

“Having the alumni network made the transition easier for me,” Williams says, noting that he was concerned about making the transition from his hometown, which was a diverse community, to a less-diverse community. “I wondered how it would be to come to F&M and be in a classroom with people of all different walks of life. Talking to Tony and Shadoe and others gave me an idea of what to expect when I came to F&M.”

Williams now taps the network for advice about choosing classes and the possibility of becoming a psychology major. “We talk about how prestigious F&M is and how it is known for being rigorous,” he says. “It gives me hope that I can go to the law school of my choice.”

Rediscovering F&M After a Family Legacy

Richard W. “Rich” Rogers Jr. ’90 took a different path to the AAAC. He came from a long line of F&M alumni. His father, attorney Richard W. Rogers Sr. ’57, chose the College because of its academic rigor, and his uncles, Dr. Lemuel A. Rogers Jr. ’59, attorney Robert J. Rogers ’63 and the Hon. Peter F. Rogers ’69, also chose F&M. Still, Rich Rogers did not find his place at the College right away.

“I was not sure of the path I wanted to take after high school, but academic expectations were a given in my family,” Rogers says. “I happened to interview at F&M after riding along with a friend who was going for an interview. I ended up applying Early Decision.”

Rogers, now principal owner of Geese Peace Inc. in Blue Bell, Pa., and president of the Norristown Arts Council, came back to F&M for his five-year and 20-year reunions, but it was not until he attended an alumni event in Philadelphia to welcome President Daniel R. Porterfield in 2011 that he became re-engaged with the College and joined the Philadelphia Regional Chapter of the Alumni Association.

“I liked the things I was reading about Dr. Porterfield. He talked about giving support not only to those who graduated long ago, but also to those who were one and two years out,” Rogers says. “He knew there were pockets of alumni who were not engaged with the College.”

Rogers could relate. “For a long period, I had bitter feelings toward the College,” he says, “but then I figured out I was only upset with myself because I had not taken advantage of [the opportunities at] F&M. Despite not having taken advantage of the opportunities, without the College, I never would have followed the same trajectory I have thus far in life.”

AAAC Chair Tony Ross ’91 (far left) and President Porterfield (far right) welcome the first class of Bridgett Award winners at Homecoming 2012. From left, Erika Powell ’94, Aaron Bass III ’01, H. Phillip Salmon ’88 and Antony Mahn ’65. Paula Dow, Esq., ’77 (not pictured) was also a member of the first class of winners. Photo by Nick Gould.

‘Stay Involved’

The mission of improving the experiences of students-turned-alumni such as Rogers—and of providing the foundation for a lifelong relationship with F&M—grows out of the very origins of the AAAC.

Taylor, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance in Arlington, Va., pondered the question of how to provide African-American students with the best possible undergraduate experience long before he came up with the idea for an affinity group. He spoke to African-American alumni from several different colleges but could not find one like F&M that had a formal affinity group that focused on the needs of African-American students and alumni.

“I thought, ‘What if we had an alumni group whose mission was to make the (undergraduate) experience a good one? We could offer advice, support and Council while students were on campus,” Taylor recalls.

Taylor, who describes his undergraduate experience as “a very good four-year stretch at F&M,” with challenges, close friends, stimulating classes and fun activities, recognized that many of his peers felt differently. “There were quite a few in my class who left after the first year,” Taylor says. “They felt like F&M was a place to get a good education and learn as much as you could, but it wasn’t necessarily the best experience. I wanted my experience to be more the norm.”

Taylor came to the realization that African-American students, in particular, needed the affirmation and support of others like themselves—affirmation he himself gleaned from involvement in campus clubs and activities, and through the overall support he received from the entire community, starting with fellow students (many African-American) and professors, all the way up to the president of the College. Taylor recalled that during the Commencement ceremony in 1980, for example, as he crossed the stage to collect his diploma, then-president Keith Spalding made an impromptu comment that resonated with Taylor: “Stay involved,” Spalding said.

Taylor took heed, signing up to be a volunteer recruiter for F&M’s Office of Admission. But those experiences once more highlighted the need for a more formal network for African-American students.

“From time to time, I would see African-American high school students at college fairs and encourage them to come to F&M,” Taylor says. “It struck me that I was encouraging kids to come to Franklin & Marshall, but we hadn’t done anything to deal with this problem that so many African-American students didn’t feel comfortable there.”

Taylor floated the Council plan with other alumni during the College’s Black Cultural Arts Weekend in 1987. These included Paula Dow, Esq., ’77, Christine A. Harper ’80, Brenda Gibson ’85, Helen Cannaday Saulny ’82 and the second African-American to graduate from F&M, Bridgett, among others. The group broached the idea with the alumni programs office, which provided Taylor with a list of 200 African-American alumni. He started with the first African-American graduate, Bohee, and called every number on the list. About 50 alumni accepted the invitation to return to campus for the 1988 Black Cultural Arts Weekend and participated in workshops on how to become a leader in the corporate world and how to excel in academics. Dr. Henry Wiggins Jr. ’55 funded a reception for students who joined what was then called the Black Alumni Council. The group set bylaws and scheduled meetings and committees for activities, publicity and other priorities. In 1990, the Council took its current name.

“Of all the things that I’ve done in my life, this is one that I’ve been most proud of,” Taylor says, noting that the Council fits in with the broader mission of Franklin & Marshall today—to provide a holistic liberal arts education to the full mosaic of talented students.

“F&M is at a point in time when, like a lot of other colleges and universities, it must look beyond the places from which it traditionally recruits,” Taylor says. “The College has always been a great place to learn, but to lead in the future it must attract the best students, many of whom would not have thought an F&M education was attainable. I am happy that when they arrive they will find active alumni who will want to be part of their success.”

Today, the Council comes together for two cornerstone events: The Bridgett Medal Ceremony at Homecoming and a Commencement breakfast, during which graduates of color receive a symbolic Kente cloth—a scarf-like stole with a colorful African-inspired print that graduates wear over their robes to mark their passage to alumni status.

They also take time to honor the past while they celebrate accomplishments of the present. In 2011, the group created the Bridgett Awards to recognize African-American alumni of distinction and to honor the award’s namesake, Sydney Bridgett, who is not only an accomplished alumnus, but was integral to the formation of the Council. Bridgett, a retired teacher and member of the U.S. Foreign Service who now lives in Willow Street, Pa., was the first secretary of the AAAC. He said he is honored to have the award named after him—especially by a group that celebrates the kind of support he received as an undergraduate.

“When I started, I was not qualified to attend, but a professor took a specific interest in me and saw that I got in,” Bridgett recalls. “I was one of the first three black graduates, and I am very proud of that and happy with my experience at F&M.”

Indicative of the connections between students and alumni, the Black Student Union also created a Bridgett Award, which is presented to students who exemplify his leadership in character, during BSU’s Black Carpet Formal. Chyann Starks ’13 received BSU’s Bridgett medal this year for creating the College’s first Civil Rights Week, which featured a keynote address by celebrated activist, scholar and theologian Cornel West.

Starks said she was honored to be “aligned with (Bridgett) and all of his contributions to F&M” and to have support from the Council.

“The AAAC is a remarkable organization because it celebrates the achievements of F&M’s African-American alumni and supports the efforts of current African-American students,” she said. “The Council embodies the importance of community and models the ways that I can continue to contribute to F&M as a soon-to-be alumna.”

The newest members of F&M’s African-American Alumni Council are all smiles at the AAAC Commencement breakfast in May 2012. Photo by Nick Gould.

Solid Foundations

Day-to-day, the Council continues to be a unifying force for current students, recent graduates and alumni—including international students and alumni from Africa and the Caribbean. Alumni and students stay connected through events at Homecoming and Commencement, as well as through a lively Facebook page, where members share news about campus happenings, accomplishments and milestones, and exchange advice about classes, potential majors and career opportunities.

Attorneys in the group, including Leroy Pernell ’71, offer advice to students interested in studying law. And Hamilton and Tarver approached Ross and Taylor for guidance about creating a nonprofit that would expand on the student group IMPACT nationally.

In 2011, Tigist Hailu ’11 reached out to the Council for help with a senior photography project celebrating the 60th anniversary of African-American students on campus. Ross helped Hailu identify six prominent alumni, one from each decade, and she created a special exhibition in which she projected images and quotes on campus buildings that had special meaning to the subjects. Since then, she has stayed involved in the AAAC.

“I keep in touch with Tony and other alums through the AAAC Facebook page,” says Hailu, who is the coordinator for diversity in research at the University of Pennsylvania’s Penn Memory Center in Philadelphia. “I think it’s important, especially for the African-American community, to have that friendship and bond. I had that support on campus, and it’s continued for me as an alumna.”

The next chapter for the AAAC is to grow as an organization that encourages alumni both to celebrate the relationships and accomplishments of the past, and also to engage in new initiatives shaping the College’s future.

It’s the energy surrounding this work that excites alumni such as Rogers. Soon after the alumni event with President Porterfield in Philadelphia, Ross invited Rogers to deliver the welcome address at the AAAC’s Commencement breakfast. “The message I delivered was an honest one about being disengaged and, after some time and realization, being reengaged. I explained that F&M was a place that, after all that time, still welcomed me with open arms,” Rogers says.

Rogers explained how reconnecting with the College has made him aware of how the institution has grown and responded to a changing world, and how F&M now is graduating more African-American students than ever, a commitment he is proud to stand behind.

“Even having had an unorthodox experience in college, I realized that coming through F&M makes quite a statement, whether you are applying for jobs or starting your own endeavors,” Rogers says. “Any experience there is a powerful and valuable tool. I realize how blessed and fortunate I am to have come from a legacy of graduates. That hit me when I went to the AAAC breakfast and heard from families who talked about their experiences as part of this family at F&M and the importance of the achievements of their graduating seniors.”

As the son and nephew of those who blazed a trail to F&M, Rogers says he understands more than ever how important it is for students and young alumni to be able to see the path ahead.

“I had four members of my family who went to F&M, but there are many people out there who didn’t have that,” Rogers says. “Those who have been through the experience are able to reach back and say, ‘Let me show you how this can help you in your life.’ In the other direction, I can look back at those who graduated before me. There is a real value to that and learning about the pioneers, the graduates like Sydney Bridgett, Henry Wiggins Jr., my father and his brothers and a handful of others. Looking at my own experience, I know as time goes on, I will only be more engaged with the College.”

Nicholas Montemarano, associate professor and chair of English at F&M. (Photo by Dave DeBalko)

More than a decade ago, Nicholas Montemarano and John Parsley ’01 just missed each other in their academic home in Franklin & Marshall’s Keiper Liberal Arts Building. Montemarano joined the College’s Department of English a year after Parsley, an English major, walked across the Commencement stage.

But Parsley became a fan of Montemarano’s work from afar. Now executive editor at Hachette Book Group’s Little, Brown and Company, Parsley says: “From my first day working in publishing, I knew I wanted to see what Nick would write next.”

John Parsley ’01 edited “The Book of Why,” by Nicholas Montemarano (top).

When Parsley was invited to return to campus in 2004 for a panel discussion on publishing at F&M’s Philadelphia Alumni Writers House, he was joined by Montemarano’s literary agent, another invited panelist. Parsley expressed his eagerness to not just read Montemarano’s next work, but to be a part of the process.

It’s what the fictional Eric Newborn, the character in Montemarano’s new novel, “The Book of Why,” calls the power of setting an intention. Parsley would know—he served as the book’s editor.

Published in January by Little, Brown and Company, Montemarano’s book is the product of a literary partnership that thrived between the professor and alumnus over the past few years. “I chose to work with John because I just liked the way he connected with ‘The Book of Why,’ how he spoke about it, and his vision for it,” says Montemarano, associate professor and chair of English at F&M.

When Parsley heard Montemarano was working on a novel several years ago, “I was right there and ready,” he says. That the book was about such strange confluences made it even more attractive.

“I think we crave serendipity in our lives—the feeling that things work out, that things are connected—but we can often look back and feel that’s what was at work, forgetting the time and effort we put in to make it possible in the first place,” Parsley says. “So much about [the book’s] publication feels serendipitous to me—not to ignore the years of work Nick put in perfecting the book.”

In “The Book of Why,” self-help author and inspirational speaker Newborn preaches the power of positive thinking to remedy all of life’s problems, then struggles internally when his world view doesn’t align with the pain of reality and his own loss. Through magical thinking and the help of an ardent fan, Newborn rediscovers his faith in the world.

Montemarano says he does believe “there is a mysterious logic and order to the universe.”

“Almost every good fortune that has come into my life has arrived not when I’ve wanted it but when I’ve least expected it. In other words, you get what you need—good or bad—when you need it,” says Montemarano.

Parsley says that he and Montemarano share a similar world view. “We’re rational and seek evidence for everything. At the same time, we find stories that have no explanation very compelling,” he says. The view bears striking similarity to the novel, as the characters imbue coincidences with deep meaning.

As for the editing process itself, Montemarano notes: “We work very well together. John’s a careful, close reader—I’d expect nothing else after an F&M education—and made some valuable suggestions as I revised the manuscript for publication.”

Parsley views the editing process as “the beginning of a conversation. If the author inhabits a book, lives with it for years, I’m a stranger. I’m the first in a wave of people who will come to it with fresh eyes.”

Although the story was fresh, there’s a sense of familiarity for Parsley—and for many F&M alumni—as the characters inhabit the city of Lancaster for a time, dining at the former eatery Wish You Were Here, walking the city streets, and spending time in Lancaster Cemetery.

“I tend to write about places I know; it helps the fictional dream come vividly alive for me as I’m writing and therefore, one hopes, for the reader,” Montemarano says.

It’s like a scene from “Antiques Roadshow” played out on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College. On the first floor of F&M’s Martin Library of the Sciences, rapt students gather to learn from experts about the provenance of an intriguing item—why it’s historic, rare and important. They ask insightful questions, and then the inevitable: “Do you know how much this is worth?”

But instead of beginning their answer with “at auction” or “for insurance purposes”—as appraisers would on the television show—professors and archivists most often say, “priceless.”

Michael Lear, F&M’s archives and special collections assistant, introduces history students Kristina Montville ’14 and Jacob Kelly ’13 to the College’s collection of World War I posters during a class visit to the archives. Photo by Melissa Hess.

This takes place each semester in the College’s Archives and Special Collections, which is home to a diverse collection of artifacts that has bolstered students’ academic experiences and contributed to the production of numerous published works. In addition to preserving the institutional record of the College, the holdings include more than 8,500 rare books, the oldest dating to 1481; papers of prominent Lancaster County families, organizations, and F&M alumni; and collections of maps, prints, posters, newspapers and photographs.

It also is home to numerous sub-collections, such as the German-American Imprint Collection, which contains German-language material published in southeastern Pennsylvania in the 19th century, and the Helen D. and William E. Krantz ’37 Miniature Book Collection, which includes titles such as “The Smallest Dictionary in the World” (measuring just a little over an inch by three-quarters).

Archives and Special Collections Librarian Christopher Raab and Archives and Special Collections Assistant Michael Lear oversee access to the vault containing more than 2,300 linear feet of material—longer than seven football fields—in the depths of the Martin Library. But the archives are much more than a safe, climate-controlled repository. On a regular basis, F&M professors, students, scholars and others with a sense of adventure visit the archives reading room near the library’s main entrance—where hidden gems come to life.

This document signed by Elizabeth I is part of F&M’s Herbert H. Rawnsley ’40 Autograph Collection.

This document signed by Henry VIII is part of F&M’s Herbert H. Rawnsley ’40 Autograph Collection.

F&M’s collection of 130 World War I posters conveys a wide range of messages and images.

F&M’s collection of 130 World War I posters conveys a wide range of messages and images.

F&M’s collection of 130 World War I posters conveys a wide range of messages and images.

F&M’s collection of 130 World War I posters conveys a wide range of messages and images.

A photographic history of F&M by Professor David Schuyler and Jane Bee ’06 is a recent work that resulted from research in the archives.

An oral history by Associate Professor Dennis Deslippe, Johanna Schein ’11 and Alysse Vaccaro ’11 is a recent work that resulted from research in the archives.

“Liberalizing the Mind,” a College history by Sally Griffith, is a recent work that resulted from research in the archives.

A Resource for Teaching, Learning

Students’ eyes often widen when they view the College’s Herbert H. Rawnsley ’40 Autograph Collection, which includes documents signed by historically prominent figures between the 13th and 20th centuries. The collection is particularly rich in signatures of the British royals, from Henry III (1250) to Elizabeth II (1960). F&M classes from a variety of disciplines visit the archives to view the collection, which Rawnsley donated to his alma mater in 2001.

“We asked students to examine the signatures and put them in order of reign by the kings and queens of England, beginning with the first Tudor, Henry VII, through Elizabeth II,” Lear says of a recent class visit to the archives to explore the Rawnsley Collection. “We thought it might be difficult for them, but they’re very sharp.”

The autographs are a perfect example of how the special collections make learning fun for students, says College Librarian Pamela Snelson.

“Seeing the signed documents in the Rawnsley collection immediately generates interest among students,” she says. “And then students begin to ask questions relating to the documents. Why were people executed during that time period? What was the law? So you start with a small autographed document, and research grows from there. Connections begin to happen.”

Some items find their way into the archives in an unusual way. At the end of World War II, Cecil Johns of the 3110th Signal Service Battalion entered the burned-out wreckage of what he thought to be the Reich Chancellery, or office of the German chancellor, in Berlin. In a 1975 letter to F&M librarian William Pease, Johns—who had a connection to F&M through a friend—wrote that he found a large copy of “Mein Kampf” on a lectern in a concrete bunker in Germany. He donated the book to F&M.

Today the copy of Hitler’s literary volume is part of numerous works F&M Professor of English Tamara Goeglein shows her students in her course, “To Read, Or Not to Read?” The students also explore a German edition of famed American anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” a Dutch “Book of Hours” (a Medieval devotional book), and a facsimile of the iconic Johannes Gutenberg Bible, among many others. Goeglein asks students to observe “how the physical details of the books … reflect the cultural status of the text and how they might affect the reader's experience.”

Stacey Roth ’15, a student in Goeglein’s class in the fall of 2012, was interested in the size and condition of some of the works.

“The most fascinating book was definitely ‘Mein Kampf,’” says Roth, a psychology major. “The book is huge. We learned that it was found in a Nazi government office in Berlin. One of the pages was burned, and it was like a picture in time of the bombing of Germany by the Allied forces. The most important thing I learned from the workshop was that books express a story using much more than just words. The size of the books told us a lot about the reader—whether the narrative was meant to be read to an audience, as was this edition, or to be read in private.”

Students also have pored over the College’s collection of 130 World War I posters in the archives. The collection conveys a wide range of messages and images, from beating back “The Hun,” to conserving food resources, and encouraging patriotism. One poster reads: “Little American/Do Your Bit/Eat Oatmeal/Leave Nothing on Your Plate.”

The posters came to life a decade ago when Professor of History and American Studies Louise Stevenson worked with then-student Raj Dasgupta ’05 (now Raj Dutt, Ph.D., and an assistant professor at ITT Mandi in India) to organize an exhibition around the collection. “Until that time, the College had not fully realized their historical significance and monetary value,” Stevenson says.

Stevenson is one of several professors in F&M’s departments of history and American studies who take students to analyze the posters—and other historic memorabilia—on a regular basis.

“Visiting the archives is like the difference between seeing an animal on an electronic screen and being in the wild with it. Archives plays to all your senses, including touch, smell, vision,” Stevenson says. “When students see the World War I posters, they say, ‘It’s so cool the College has these things.”

From Collection to Publication

Every five years, Raab and Lear mount their favorite exhibition relating to materials in the archives: “From Collection to Publication.” The display showcases published works that resulted from research in the archives, including research by professors, students, alumni and scholars around the world. The last exhibition took place in 2010, with the next one planned for 2015.

“The exhibition gives us concrete evidence of the breadth and usefulness of our holdings,” Raab says.

Two items in the exhibition resulted from collaborations between F&M students and professors who made extensive use of the archives. In 2004, Arcadia Publishing released a photographic history of the College produced by David Schuyler, F&M’s Arthur and Katherine Shadek Professor of Humanities and American Studies, and Jane Bee ’06. The professor and student uncovered evidence of the College’s colorful past, including a photo of Franklin College’s modest first building in 1787, the Brew House on Lancaster’s Mifflin Street. They also discovered a College roster from 1788 listing several female students, including Richea Gratz, who may have been the first female Jewish college student in the U.S.

Five years later, Johanna Schein ’11 and Alysse Vaccaro ’11 worked with Dennis Deslippe, associate professor of American studies and women’s and gender studies, to produce an oral history that coincided with the 40th anniversary of coeducation at F&M.

“The archives and special collections give students experience with primary materials, making research like this possible,” Snelson says. “It’s much different from reading about something in a book. Our archives and special collections make our library and other academic libraries unique. Students get a hands-on taste of what it is to do true historical research.”

And as Raab points out, scholars don’t have to be in Lancaster to take advantage of the F&M archives. “We receive inquiries from every continent. For some reason there are lots of ‘Planet of the Apes’ fans in New Zealand.”

The movie’s prolific director, Franklin J. Schaffner ’42, donated 117 boxes and 11 drawers of materials to F&M that serve as a treasure trove for researchers. Screenplays, publicity materials, “notes to self,” photographs and memorabilia from films such as “Patton,” “Papillon,” “The Boys From Brazil” and his many television productions are featured in the collection.

In Germany, scholars contact Raab and Lear to request copies of pertinent documents from the voluminous German American Imprint Collection. Inquiries from Sydney, Australia, and Brazil send Raab and Lear to the Reynolds Family Papers—the correspondence of brothers William and John Fulton Reynolds of Lancaster. William Reynolds served as a naval officer on the U.S. Exploring Expedition from 1838 to 1842, and was one of the first North Americans to view Antarctica. John Fulton Reynolds had a distinguished military career, serving in both the Mexican War and the American Civil War.

The Reynolds Papers helped Pulitzer Prize-winner Nathaniel Philbrick complete “Sea of Glory,” an account of an epic expedition in the Pacific that won the Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt Naval History Prize and the Albion-Monroe Award from the National Maritime Historical Society.

Rock ‘n’ Roll in the Archives

Occasionally joining F&M students in the archives are graduate students—distance learners—earning master’s degrees in library science from institutions such as the University of Wisconsin and University of Pittsburgh. Anastasia Karel ’00, who graduated from F&M with a major in American studies, returned to her alma mater to gain experience through an internship in the archives during the summer of 2001 while completing her master in library science degree at Drexel University.

“I hadn’t realized I wanted to be an archivist until then, but that was certainly the first step,” Karel says. She worked on the Rawnsley Autograph Collection, cataloging the signatures of luminaries such as Abraham Lincoln, humanitarian Clara Barton, agricultural pioneer Luther Burbank, and philosopher and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Albert Schweitzer. Taking a leap through time in terms of subject matter, Karel now works as an archivist at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

But current students and faculty members remain the core users of F&M’s archives and special collections. The College’s growing collection of “artists’ books,” such as pop-up books and zines—handmade magazines with limited distribution—is increasingly enhancing the academic experiences of students in a variety of classes.

“The College began to deliberately collect artists’ books in 2006,” says Visual Resources Librarian Louise Kulp, who curates the library’s collection of such books. “In nearly every sense the collection is a teaching one.”

Stephanie Lifshutz ’13 says she appreciates “the sculptural aspect, narratives and choice of visual representation” of the artists’ books.

“The book could be made entirely of photographs, or a collection of prints with no text at all. All of these aesthetic choices challenged my idea of a book and opened up so many possibilities to me as a young art student, especially all the zines,” Lifshutz says. “Ms. Kulp made us feel comfortable with the books, no matter how expensive or rare they were. She encouraged us to have the full experience on our own. I’m currently working on my first book, a collection of portraits of the art department faculty and staff using various printing processes.”

What would Lifshutz tell her fellow students about the Archives and Special Collections?

“Use them! I didn’t know how great F&M’s collection was, or that it’s so accessible to students. Take advantage of it while you can.”

Editor’s note: The author’s father, Richard D. Altick ’36, was a prominent scholar in 19th-century English literature who donated his collection of manuscripts, research materials, notes and essays to F&M. The Richard D. Altick Papers include material from Altick’s time as a professor at F&M and Ohio State University that supported several of his books.

Centennial Conference Player of the Year Hayk Gyokchyan ’13 helped the men’s basketball team to its fifth consecutive regular-season conference title.

The men’s team captured its fifth consecutive Centennial Conference (CC) regular season crown, finishing with a 20-7 mark and 14-4 in CC play. The squad made it to the conference title game for the fifth straight year. Hayk Gyokchyan ’13 garnered multiple postseason accolades, earning CC Player of the Year and a spot on the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-America Third Team, NABC Mid-Atlantic All-Region First Team and D3hoops.com Mid-Atlantic All-Region Second Team. Matt Porter ’14 and Jon Salandra ’14 also earned All-CC recognition for F&M, each landing on the second team. All-time Division III wins leader Glenn Robinson was named CC Coach of the Year—the 13th Coach of the Year award in his illustrious career.

Alexa Barbush ’13 earned first-team all-conference honors for the second consecutive year.

The women’s team (8-17) was led by Alexa Barbush ’13, who earned CC first-team honors for the second consecutive year after leading the conference in scoring average (19.2) and steals per game (3.1). The senior guard received honorable mention honors on the DIII News All-America Team and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Coaches’ Division III All-America Team. She also was D3hoops.com All-Region Second Team selection, an ECAC South Region All-star and received first-team CC honors.

Wrestling

Richard Durso ’15 finished the year with a 39-5 mark, setting a new school record for wins in a season.

The Diplomats concluded the year with a 7-9 dual-meet record, marking the most wins for the program since 2006-07. Richard Durso ’15 captured most of the headlines for F&M while putting together one of the finest campaigns in school history. The 141-pounder finished the year with a 39-5 mark, setting a new school record for wins in a season. Durso earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships after becoming the first F&M wrestler since 1994 to secure gold at the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association Championships. He advanced to the quarterfinals of NCAAs and came just one win shy of earning All-America accolades, finishing in the top 16.

Swimming

Katherine Grant ’15 became the first F&M women’s swimmer to place at the national championships since 2009.

The women’s squad finished third in the CC Championships. Katherine Grant ’15 secured a dominating 1650 freestyle victory at the conference meet, earning first-team conference honors and an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Grant received two All-America Honorable Mention honors at NCAAs after swimming a career-best time in the 500 freestyle (4:59.85) and resetting her own school record in the 1650 freestyle (17:10.44). Grant became the first F&M women’s swimmer to place at the national championships since 2009. Maggie Johns ’14 earned honorable mention honors in the CC with a second-place showing in the 400 individual medley.

The men’s team also finished third in the CC Championships. The team of Jake Reingold ’13, Zach Wilt ’13, Richard Denton ’15 and John Zipp ’14 received honorable mention honors after picking up silver medals in both the 400 and 800 freestyle relays at the conference meet. Reingold added a pair of silvers in individual competition with second-place finishes in both the 1650 freestyle and the 500 freestyle.

Squash

No. 1 men’s squash player Guilherme de Melo ’13 wrapped up his career ranked 13th on F&M’s all-time wins list with a career mark of 64-29.

The men reached new heights, breaking the record for single-season wins with 17 and finishing the year at No. 7 in the national rankings. Wins over Cornell and Dartmouth were two of the many highlights of the year, as the Diplomats had not defeated Cornell since 1998-99 and picked up their first victory over Dartmouth since 1996-97. No. 1 player Guilherme de Melo ’13, Mauricio Sedano 14, Pedro Veiga de Almeida ’16, Alex Arjoon ’15 and Antonio De La Torre ’16 each competed at the College Squash Association (CSA) Individual Championships. De Melo advanced to the final 16 of the championship bracket for the second straight year with a first-round victory, and wrapped up his career ranked 13th on F&M’s all-time wins list with a career mark of 64-29.

The women’s team ended the year with a 10-12 mark and competed in the Kurtz Cup (B Division) of the CSA Team Championships for the second consecutive year, finishing with a No. 16 ranking. No. 1 player Emily Caldwell ’16 represented the Diplomats at the CSA Individual Championships, while Jazmin Matos ’16 finished with a 10-11 mark, primarily from the No. 4 spot in the lineup.

Indoor Track & Field

Sheena Crawley ’13 claimed second place in the mile at the NCAA Championships to earn her fifth All-America honor in track & field.

The women finished sixth at the CC Indoor Championships. Sheena Crawley ’13 added to her long list of career accomplishments, claiming second place in the mile at the NCAA Championships to earn her fifth All-America honor in track & field. Crawley set new school and conference records in the mile and 1,000-meter run, and also won the gold in the mile and second place in the 800-meter run at the CC Championships. Rebecca Swisher ’16 garnered all-CC accolades with a first-place finish in the pole vault, resetting her own school record along the way.

The men’s squad placed second at the Indoor Championships. The 4 x 800 relay team of Bryan Andrews ’15, Derek Pawlush ’15, Greg Olenginski ’15 and Luk Olenginski ’15 captured first place with a time of 7:57.16, earning All-CC recognition and bringing the gold in the event back to F&M for the second straight season.

President Daniel R. Porterfield leads a class discussion while visiting Professor Susan Dicklitch’s “Citizenship” seminar last fall. Photo by Eric Forberger.

Over the past nine months, our learning community has also engaged in an inclusive and intensive process to articulate our strategic priorities for F&M’s work in the years ahead. A steering committee representing faculty members, students, alumni and professional staff engaged the entire campus in a series of conversations about the College’s historic strengths and our aspirations for F&M's future. Representatives of the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Association Board joined us in many of these discussions, and I have also enjoyed hearing ideas from many alumni, parents and friends of the College as I have traveled around the country.

I am inspired by our shared vision for F&M as a still more impactful national liberal arts college in years to come. We aim to provide a truly transformative undergraduate education—one that shapes our students’ minds and empowers our graduates to compete for the opportunities they seek throughout their lives.

F&M teaches students not just to answer questions, but to ask new ones and to pursue as-yet-undiscovered truths with great precision and great passion. This awakening of minds is a kind of intellectual entrepreneurship, preparing students to analyze complex problems, to construct robust arguments and communicate them persuasively, to build consensus in a diverse society, to engage in and serve their communities, and to lead. The students and alumni you will meet in the following pages—from cancer researchers to authors to inspiring mentors—are but a few examples of how the F&M education creates difference-makers.

That is why—even as we continue to craft the language of our strategic priorities—I know our overarching strategy will be to invest in F&M’s signature strength: academic excellence in the extraordinary tradition of the liberal arts.

To compete still more confidently in the coming years, we must continue to invest in our academic program and in our outstanding faculty, who engage our students deeply in inquiry, discovery and creation. We must continue to invest in finding top studenttalent across the country and around the world through F&M’s financial aid programs. And we must continue to invest in bringing those faculty and students together in intense colloquy—through small class sizes, abundant opportunities for hands-on research, fieldwork, and performance, and through structures like the College Houses that promote intellectual exploration beyond the classroom.

I am eager to share F&M’s strategic priorities with you later this year. Working together, we will continue to shape minds, transform lives and strengthen our beloved College for another 225 years to come.

Daniel R. Porterfield, Ph.D.
President

Melanne S. Verveer, the first U.S. ambassador-at-large for global women’s issues and also chief of staff to First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during the Clinton administration, will deliver Franklin & Marshall College’s Commencement address Saturday, May 11.

During a ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. on Hartman Green, F&M will bestow an honorary degree on Verveer, who on Feb. 11 became executive director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security after stepping down from her U.S. Department of State post as women’s issues ambassador.

Two distinguished F&M alumni—Stanley J. Dudrick, M.D., ’57, an internationally renowned physician, and Jane Moss ’74, vice president for programming at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts—also will be awarded honorary degrees.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.fandm.edu/commencement.

Fed’s Lacker ’77 Talks 2007-08 Financial Crisis

Speaking to a full house in Franklin & Marshall’s Barshinger Center for Musical Arts Feb. 12, F&M alumnus and Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond President Jeffrey Lacker ’77 provided an insider’s view of the U.S. housing and financial markets crisis of 2007-08.

“It seems quite plausible to me that the signal sent by the Fed’s lending actions in August 2007 dampened the willingness of troubled institutions, such as Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, to seek safer solutions to the strains they were facing. I believe a more measured response by the Fed in August 2007 could have resulted in significantly less instability in 2008, although I recognize that I say this with the benefit of hindsight,” Lacker said.

F&M’s Department of Economics organized Lacker’s visit to campus with support from the Wayne K. Van Dyck Fund, which was established in 1972 by a gift from Wayne K. Van Dyck ’65.

Provost Steiner Prepares for Life in Athens

Backed by a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Franklin & Marshall Provost and Dean of the Faculty Ann Steiner will spend most of the 2013-14 academic year in Athens unlocking secrets of the Athenian Agora, the capital hill of classical Athens.

She will do so as an associate member of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens for the year. She will analyze pottery in the Tholos, where government officials ate and drank in the civic center, in an effort to better understand the social tensions and politics of fifth-century B.C. Athens.

Steiner, F&M’s Shirley Watkins Steinman Professor of Classics and a scholar of ancient Greek archaeology, announced in 2012 her intention to leave her post to return to teaching and research on a full-time basis on July 1. She said the project in Athens is an ideal way to begin the next chapter of her career in academia. “The fellowship is an affirmation to me personally of my choice to return to teaching and research for this next phase of my career,” Steiner said.

A group of F&M dancers arrive at New York City’s Joyce Theater, where on Feb. 23 they performed “Celebration” by famed choreographer Martha Graham.

Twelve F&M students and their dance professor, Jennifer Conley, traveled to New York City’s world-renowned Joyce Theater Feb. 23 to perform a reconstruction of “Celebration,” a 1934 production by iconic American choreographer Martha Graham. Dancers from only six institutions—F&M, Adelphi University, Martha Graham School of Dance, Montclair State University, New World School and Sarah Lawrence College—were invited to perform at the event, University Partners Showcase.

The F&M group included Olivia Clark ’14, Emily Hawk ’16, Abby Komlenic ’13, Katie Komlenic ’15, Gwen LeBar ’14, Jesse Pignatelli ’13, Kaitlin Rabinowitz ’15, Bianca Santos ’14, Alison Shupp ’16, Sarah Strong, ’14 Elizabeth Yutzey ’16 and Lila Ziegler ’13.

We asked Santos, a psychology major and sociology minor, to recap the group’s experience:

When I first heard the news about our opportunity to perform at the Joyce Theater, I nearly burst into tears. I didn’t realize how famous the Joyce was until that day, but I knew that performing in New York City would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I was ecstatic to begin the journey.

After many rigorous rehearsals—and numerous shin splints—we were ready to take to the big stage. When I boarded the bus to New York, I was a bit relieved to be just two days away from finishing with the piece. As much as I adore Martha Graham, “Celebration” was a grueling performance to practice over and over again. But as we drove up the New Jersey Turnpike and I saw the city skyline, I got butterflies in my stomach (the good kind). I felt a fresh sense of excitement, and my fellow cast members felt the same way.

The next morning, we walked to the theater, coffee in hand and backpacks stuffed with extra dance clothes. We walked inside and found a group of dancers with the most immaculate hair buns we’d ever seen (perfect and incredibly intimidating). We saw long, lean, muscular figures, and realized that we were in a brand new world: the Graham world. I hadn’t realized we would be sharing the stage with professional Graham dancers and university students who regularly take Graham technique as a part of their curriculum. We watched each group take the spotlight to rehearse their spacing and all I could think was, “What did we just get ourselves into?"

My nerves began to build when we watched the Martha Graham dancers perform that night. The passion and depth of their movement was inspiring. In less than 24 hours, we would be performing on that same stage with hundreds of people watching us, and we would be expected to perform our piece at a standard that was set so high that it seemed out of reach. Thankfully, the other dancers were extremely supportive of our group. The perfect-bun ladies were impressed by the intensity and physical demand of our choreography. One of them told us, “There’s absolutely no way that I could do that piece. You all do an amazing job.”

Finally, it was time to dance. The massive red curtain rose, the music began to beat, and we began to jump. We never jumped so high as we did that day, and we never felt stronger. We executed the piece perfectly and with conviction. I'll never forget how proud I was of our growth as we took our bow, and I was so thankful that Professor Conley was there to guide us on our journey.

The Liberal Arts College as a Springboard to Opportunity
The Huffington Post (March 12, 2013)
F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield writes that great colleges will respond to the evolving needs of 20-something searchers and help them launch well into opportunity and growth.
go.fandm.edu/opportunity

Benefits of the College House System
Bisnow (March 14, 2013)
Bisnow highlights the significant impact of F&M’s College Houses on student life.
go.fandm.edu/college-houses

From Multan to Philly, Umer Piracha Found His Calling
International Herald Tribune-Express Tribune (March 12, 2013)
Pakistani musician Umer Piracha ’07 credits his journey through the liberal arts at F&M for allowing him to explore his love for music.
go.fandm.edu/umer-piracha

Spending Billions to Detect Asteroids? The Government Is Considering It (Video)
CBS 21 News (March 20, 2013)
In the wake of the recent meteor explosion over Russia, F&M Associate Professor of Astronomy Fronefield Crawford discusses the government's effort to detect potentially damaging asteroids.
go.fandm.edu/asteroids

F&M President Discusses ‘Holistic’ Approach to Education (Video)
Higher Education Today (March 15, 2013)
Host Steven Roy Goodman talks with F&M President Daniel R. Porterfield and Shawn Jenkins ’10, special assistant to the dean of the College for strategic projects, about F&M College Prep and other key College initiatives, including the loan relief program for the middle bracket, the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development and a commitment to provide students with the resources they need to succeed.
go.fandm.edu/higher-ed

Why History Channel’s ‘The Bible’ Draws Boffo Ratings Despite Reviews
The Christian Science Monitor (March 18, 2013)
F&M Professor of Religious Studies Stephen Cooper weighs in on History Channel’s highly rated Easter-season series.
go.fandm.edu/csm-history

Students, faculty and professional staff gathered in F&M’s Ann & Richard Barshinger Center for Musical Arts for a Service of Remembrance highlighted by music, poetry and reflections from those closest to Phillips. A native of Oakland, Calif., Phillips was an engaged member of the College community. He was particularly active in his House, Ware College House, and the 1 in 4 male student organization that educates others about sexual violence

“Eric crossed a continent to bring his heart and mind to this community,” President Daniel R. Porterfield said during the ceremony. “Through all the tears and grief, I speak for all on this campus when I say how very grateful we are, and how blessed we feel, that Eric chose to create his college experience with us.”

Joel Eigen, don of Ware College House and F&M’s Charles A. Dana Professor of Sociology, described Phillips as courageous and supportive, a person who would readily lend encouragement to a friend struggling with an unpopular or unconventional choice.

“We cannot help but be a better, kinder, more courageous House for the privilege of Eric Phillips having been in our midst,” Eigen said. “We miss him, but we are grateful to his parents for sharing him with us—truly the most lasting gift they could have sent our way.”

In a third-floor classroom in Franklin & Marshall’s Stager Hall on March 20, a group of students learned more about disloyalty than they probably ever imagined—from one of F&M’s most loyal alumni.

Sidney Dickstein ’47, founding partner of the Dickstein Shapiro law firm in Washington, D.C., and emeritus trustee of the College, visited an F&M history class to share his personal account of the McCarthy era of American politics in the mid-20th century. In the early 1950s, Dickstein successfully defended numerous individuals accused by the federal government of disloyalty to the United States as national tensions and suspicions unfolded during the Cold War. The McCarthy era, which spanned 1950-56, is named for Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who suggested that a significant number of Communist sympathizers worked for the U.S. government.

F&M alumnus Sidney Dickstein ’47, founding partner of the Dickstein Shapiro law firm in Washington, D.C., speaks to F&M students on March 20 about the loyalty-security reviews during the McCarthy era. Photo by Alexander Monelli.

Dickstein painted a picture of the era for 20 students in Associate Professor Van Gosse’s “History of the United States” class before answering questions about his personal experiences as an attorney in the loyalty-security reviews of the 1950s.

“It’s important to remember that what was playing out politically occurred against the backdrop of what appeared to be a real threat from the Soviet Union,” Dickstein said. “The race for nuclear power and the threats that implied were rampant. I recall that schoolchildren were taking part in air raid drills. This permeated American culture.”

Dickstein spoke of a time when disloyalty to the American government was perceived in many circles to be a significant security risk.

“When someone was accused of being disloyal or a security risk, they were suspended without pay when the charges that launched the proceedings were first filed,” Dickstein said. “We’d get a percentage of the back pay if we were successful in defending the client. That kept my partner and me alive in the beginning.”

F&M student Hayley Steffen ’13, a government major from Silver Spring, Md., was fascinated by Dickstein’s personal account of the McCarthy era.

“He defended people who had the right to be defended,” Steffen said. “Today you’re supposed to get legal help from the justice department, but the attorney general was the one who was creating these lists [of disloyal Americans]. It gives you faith in democracy that people like Sid Dickstein were defending them.

In June 2012—his 65th Reunion at F&M—Dickstein received the College’s Nevonian Medal, presented annually to a member of the Nevonian Society who has demonstrated extraordinary and sustained dedication to the College. The society comprises alumni who have celebrated their 50th Reunions. He received an honorary Doctor of Law degree at former President John Fry’s installation ceremony in 2003.