Dear F&M Community,
Today, we celebrate a meaningful new investment in the visual arts. The Richard C von Hess Foundation has made a grant to launch an Artists-in-Residence program at Franklin & Marshall. The program will bring accomplished artists from the region into community with our students and ensure that the arts at F&M, in turn, build stronger bridges back to the Lancaster community. My sincere thanks to Tom Cook and everyone at the foundation for their investment and deep commitment to the arts at F&M. Read more about the grant and the first two artists-in-residence below.
We are also pleased to welcome six newly elected members to the F&M Board of Trustees: Jason Cone, Jennifer Galambos, David Greene, Mary Little, Rob Mullins, and Sam Reiman. In addition, we welcome Karla Avelino, Alumni Association Board (AAB) President, and Preston Kilgore, AAB Vice President, as new ex officio trustees. The eight new members bring a rich range of experiences and perspectives. They begin their board service on July 1 alongside Matt DesChamps, who starts as board chair that same day. I am excited to work with all of them to chart F&M's next chapter.
I hope your summer is off to a good start.
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F&M Receives Grant for Artists-In-Residence Program
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A three-year, $250,000 grant from the Richard C von Hess Foundation will support artists who will teach alongside F&M faculty, hold public lectures and events, and exhibit their work for the campus and Lancaster community. The artists in residence — Amy Boone-McCreesh, a mixed-media artist and Idalia Vasquez-Achury, a lens-based media artist — will bring perspectives and expertise to complement that of F&M's visual arts faculty, expanding variety and flexibility in course offerings and building mentorship and advising connections for current students.
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F&M Elects New Members to Board of Trustees and Honors Emeriti Trustees
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The Franklin & Marshall Board of Trustees voted to elect its new members and is proud to welcome Jason Cone ’99, Jennifer Galambos ’88, David Greene, Mary Little ’75, Rob Mullins ’91, and Sam Reiman ’02, as well as Karla Avelino ’01, Alumni Association Board (AAB) President, and Preston Kilgore ’14, AAB Vice President, as ex officio Trustees. The new Trustees will begin their terms on July 1, and serve under the leadership of incoming Board Chair Matt DesChamps ’93, P’28.
During the meeting, the Board conferred the honor of emeriti status upon four trustees whose dedication and generosity have shaped the College for decades: Board Chair Eric Noll ’83, P’09, Susan Klehr ’73, P’12, Art Taylor ’80, and Colleen Weis ’85.
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Innovation Fund Transforms F&M’s Pioneering Spirit
into Action
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The F&M Innovation Fund, sponsored by the Office of the President, announced its inaugural cohort of funded projects: four bold community initiatives that capture the pioneering spirit of Franklin & Marshall College. The projects include Responsible and Ethical AI Leadership (REAL) Lab, The Global Democracy Lab, The Benders: Sunnyside Research and Storytelling Partnership, and The Institute of the Mechanical Surround (IMS) Sonic Laboratory.
Selected from nearly a dozen submitted proposals, these four initiatives are diverse in their scope and together represent an F&M that is deeply interdisciplinary, dedicated to student success, rooted in the community, and unafraid to tackle the big questions shaping our world.
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Bryan Stinchfield Named Inaugural Executive Director of the Mehlman Leadership and Performance Institute
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F&M has appointed Bryan Stinchfield as the inaugural Executive Director of the Mehlman Leadership and Performance Institute, a new signature initiative designed to prepare students at F&M to lead with resilience, creativity, and purpose in a rapidly changing world.
As Executive Director, Stinchfield will lead the launch and growth of the Mehlman Institute, including its inaugural Leadership Fellows cohort arriving this fall. Established through a foundational $3.2 million gift from F&M Trustee and Board Vice Chair Ken Mehlman ’88, the Institute connects leadership development, entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and performance science through hands-on learning experiences.
“I am excited to return to F&M. It’s a place that exemplifies how students grow intellectually and personally through hands-on learning. Our graduates use their world-class liberal arts education to create societal change,” said Stinchfield. "The Institute will significantly advance that tradition, and I'm honored to help bring its vision to life."
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Tim Sweeney Announced as Men's Basketball Coach
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The Franklin & Marshall Athletic Department has announced Tim Sweeney as the next head coach of the men's basketball team. Carefully crafting a strong reputation of excellence in high academic settings, Sweeney brings 12 years of head coaching experience to the Diplomats, including the last seven as the head coach of Connecticut College where the Camels experienced an unprecedented run of success in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC).
"I am so grateful to be selected to lead such a historic program with a rich tradition of excellence! As a program, we will honor our past while pursuing our own journey of excellence with this current generation of Diplomats," said Sweeney.
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Leveraging the Diplomat Network, On and Off the Court
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F&M Basketball provided Asad “Sid” Syed ’27 with his first community on campus and introduced him to the College’s extensive alumni network. Alumni like Chris Finch ’92, head coach of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, and longtime supporters of Diplomat Athletics David Albright ’82, Pete Deutsch ’84, and Mike Dee ’85 have connected with the team and helped Syed think more intentionally about his future.
“Receiving a scholarship and getting to college was a huge opportunity for me. I don’t think I would’ve been able to attend F&M otherwise,” Syed shared. “It’s been a difficult process, and it definitely is not easy, but I have a good team behind me that’s supported me through everything.”
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Supporting the Next Generation of Diplomats
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Sid's journey and those of countless other Diplomats are made possible by the generosity of our community. A significant part of this effort centers on the Franklin & Marshall Fund, which provides immediate support for financial aid, student research, campus life, and more. If you’d like to help us finish the year strong, consider making a gift before our fiscal year deadline of June 30. When you do, you'll be part of our record-setting year of fundraising at F&M.
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James Lapine ’71 Receives Lifetime Achievement Tony Award
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Earlier this month, F&M alumnus James Lapine ’71 added a fourth Tony Award to his accolades: a special Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre! Watch his acceptance speech.
Lapine’s work has been enjoyed by millions, and he has previously earned Tony Awards for “Into the Woods,” “Passion” and “Falsettos.” Lapine and his writing partner Stephen Sondheim were also named recipients of the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for “Sunday in the Park with George.” His work as a writer and director has featured prominently in film and television.
F&M announced in March that the historic Green Room Theatre will be rededicated as the James Lapine Theater, a tribute made possible with an anonymous $1 million gift.
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A Midterm Forecast: F&M Poll Explores What Matters to Voters
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For more than 30 years, the Franklin & Marshall College Poll has served as a leading source of information and analysis of public sentiment for issues affecting Pennsylvania. As the longest-running statewide poll, its findings are a valued non-partisan resource for government officials, the media, and those involved in shaping public policy. The latest survey encompasses a wide swath of public opinion, including sentiment around personal finances, leadership approval and voting inclination, and policy issues and party competency perception.
The poll findings are available now on the F&M Poll website.
On June 18, Berwood Yost, director of the F&M Center for Opinion Research, provided an expert analysis of the June 2026 F&M College Poll in a live event moderated by F&M's Stephen Medvic, the Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government. Read more about the poll findings.
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