F&M Stories
Providing Opportunities in Perpetuity
When John E. Fischer 鈥�77 graduated from Franklin & Marshall College, the accounting
major went to work immediately at a manufacturing company in York County, Pennsylvania.
He was hired by the firm鈥檚 controller, a 1973 F&M alumnus who was a few years older
than him.
鈥淩obert Donohoe is someone I knew in the working world, someone who was a mentor for me for about the first eight or nine years that I worked,鈥� Fischer says. 鈥淗e had interviewed me and hired me through an on-campus interview.鈥�
A few years later, the firm was acquired by the Olin Corporation, where Fischer spent more than 35 years, retiring in 2021 as chairman and CEO.
During that time, and almost immediately after starting his career, Fischer began contributing to the College. John and his wife, Dotti, have given generously to the Diplomatic Athletic Club, Franklin & Marshall Fund and financial aid.
In honor of Fischer鈥檚 mentor and colleague, John and Dotti established the Robert E. Donohoe 鈥�73 Endowed Scholarship Fund, and then followed with the Fischer Family Endowed Scholarship, both supporting financial aid in perpetuity.
鈥淲e give endowed scholarships because they do exist into perpetuity and we both believe that when you look at the demographic challenges and the economic challenges that the broader college education industry in the United States is facing, endowed scholarships are going to be the key to survival going down the road,鈥� Fischer says.
The couple, married more than 40 years, also established a Fischer Family Endowed Scholarship at York College, where Dotti, a first-generation student, graduated and serves on the board.
鈥淲e give scholarships because we want the schools to be able to reach out to as many students as possible,鈥� Dotti says.
College provides unquestionable opportunities, but John says F&M鈥檚 specific educational qualities made a significant difference in his professional career.
鈥淲hen I got out into the working world, Franklin & Marshall more than proved its worth,鈥� he recalls. 鈥淚 started working in a cost accounting department the same day as someone who graduated from Penn State with an accounting degree. I was years ahead of him from day one, just based on the education that I had gotten and the experience that I had at Franklin & Marshall.鈥�
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.