F&M Stories
Socrates Citation in Honor of Michael Clapper
Professor Michael Clapper鈥檚 20-year career at Franklin & Marshall College can be characterized as one of devotion to his students, recognition for scholarly contributions, and significant service to the College. Professor Clapper earned his B.A. at Swarthmore College, MFA in painting at Washington University, and Ph.D. in art history at Northwestern University.
Professor Clapper offered courses in Western modern and contemporary art, as well as in American art, which has been his area of scholarly research. His training and accomplishments as both a painter and an art historian have enabled him to offer keen insights from which his students have benefited. Among Professor Clapper鈥檚 innovative contributions to the art history curriculum was 鈥淎rt, Capitalism and Markets,鈥� an interdisciplinary course cross-listed with Business, Organizations & Society. Exploring art from the wide-ranging perspectives of aesthetics, politics, psychology, technology, and business, the course arose from Professor Clapper鈥檚 scholarly focus on American popular art, which served the psychological wants and needs of an expanding middle-class with the flourishing of industrial capitalism. Much of Professor Clapper鈥檚 research in this area has appeared in premier journals for American art.
Professor Clapper鈥檚 service to the department, the College, and his broader field are notable. He helped found the innovative journal in American art history, Panorama, and has been a leading voice on College committees centered on F&M鈥檚 finances and compensation. During his tenure as department chair, he oversaw the initiative to construct the Susan and Benjamin Winter Visual Arts Center, which houses well-equipped studios and a state-of-the-art cinema. The building fulfills the objective to integrate the college鈥檚 film program with studio art and art history into what is now appropriately titled the Visual Arts Department.
Related Articles
August 13, 2026
Connecting People and Pinnipeds: Internship Helps Student Find Her Voice in Marine Conservation
Corina Curry 鈥�29 isn鈥檛 just studying marine life 鈥� she鈥檚 finding her voice as an educator. As an intern with Ocean Connections in Hershey, Pa., Curry works directly with pinnipeds and leads conservation-based programming. 鈥淚 have found educating the public on this incredible species to be highly rewarding,鈥� she said.
August 10, 2026
鈥楩or the Love of People and Art鈥�: F&M Student Interns at the Mount Gretna Art Show
Layla Beyer 鈥�27 is getting a firsthand look at how communities unite through a shared love of the arts. Beyer, who studies history of art and architecture and theatre, is interning with the Mount Gretna Outdoor Art Show. 鈥淚t is really inspiring to see this kind of work get done for the love of people and art,鈥� she said.
August 10, 2026
糖心 and Lancaster Stormers Announce Historic 8-Year Partnership Naming Penn Medicine Park the Home of Diplomats Baseball
F&M and the Lancaster Stormers announced an eight-year agreement establishing Penn Medicine Park as the official home stadium for F&M baseball. Under the multi-year partnership, all Diplomats baseball practices and home games will take place at the award-winning facility, providing student-athletes, coaches, and fans with an upgraded collegiate baseball experience.