F&M Stories
Our Most Inspiring Stories of 2024
In 2024, the F&M community experienced a solar eclipse, the Lombardo Welcome Center opened its doors, students and faculty received prestigious national awards, and the College continued to move up the rankings of the nation鈥檚 very best liberal arts institutions. Below, read some of many of the inspirational stories that made our year so memorable.
Stories are listed chronologically.
Meet the Students of F&M鈥檚 First Neurodivergent Art Exhibit
Seven students were featured in the Phillips Museum of Art exhibit, 鈥淪pectra: Exploring Neurodiverse Art in Franklin & Marshall College.鈥� The exhibition celebrates the artwork of students on campus who identify as neurodivergent.
Two Faculty Members Awarded NSF CAREER Grants
A laboratory discovery and ongoing research into robots and machine ethics resulted in prestigious for Sarah Tasker, assistant professor of chemistry, and Jason 鈥淲illie鈥� Wilson, assistant professor of computer science, respectively.
Campus Celebrates Solar Eclipse
It鈥檚 not every day you catch a cosmic phenomenon between classes. Franklin & Marshall students did just that Monday, April 8, witnessing the country鈥檚 last total solar eclipse until 2044.
Class of 2024 Turns Tassels
A pandemic enveloped their earliest days of college in uncertainty. Four years later, members of the Class of 2024 have emerged as leaders and scholars. Featured speaker Jason Cone 鈥�99 echoed that sentiment at the College鈥檚 237th Commencement ceremony May 11 at the Alumni Sports & Fitness Center.
Captain Of His Own Story: Randy Wilkins '01
In fall 2002, Randy Wilkins 鈥�01 鈥� then a senior at F&M 鈥� found himself sitting next to Spike Lee at dinner prior to the filmmaker鈥檚 Mueller lecture. More than 20 years later, Lee asked Wilkins to direct and produce 鈥淭he Captain鈥� 鈥� an ESPN docuseries focused on baseball hall-of-famer Derek Jeter.
F&M Alum Outfits U.S. Gymnasts in Paris Olympics
As members of the United States women鈥檚 gymnastics team dazzled and defied gravity, you couldn鈥檛 help but notice their beaded attire glinting in the limelight. Matt Cowan 鈥�03 knows a thing or two about bringing sports apparel to the global stage. Cowan is chief executive officer at Elite Sportswear, LP, parent brand of GK Elite 鈥� the name behind Team USA鈥檚 stunning leotards worn by the likes of Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey. The company also outfitted the U.S. men鈥檚 team.
Success Beyond F&M: 鈥業 Was Drawn to F&M鈥檚 Unique Liberal Arts Approach to Business鈥�
Within six months after graduation, 93% of F&M鈥檚 Class of 2023 were either employed or furthering their education. Alysse Danyi 鈥�23, who studied business, public policy, and German at F&M, is pursuing a Juris Doctor at Villanova University. 鈥淔&M's rigorous liberal arts education prepared me well to critically analyze policy issues and formulate credible, convincing arguments鈥oth of which are important skills for learning and applying the law,鈥� she said.
Sophomores Found Nepalese Nonprofit
F&M sophomores Sujal Shah and Binayak Jha launched , a free, six-week virtual project-based learning program for primary school students in Nepal. Shah was awarded a Generation Google Scholarship in part for his work with the nonprofit.
F&M Continues to Climb U.S. News Rankings
Franklin & Marshall College continues its rise in national prominence, having increased 16 places since 2016 in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. This marks the fourth consecutive year of elevated rankings for F&M.
True Blue Weekend Brings Campus Together
Diplomat spirit rippled across campus Oct. 5-6 as Franklin & Marshall College welcomed an estimated 2,100 students, parents and alumni to True Blue Weekend. Visitors got their first glimpse at the recently opened Lombardo Welcome Center, in addition to a striking new ampersand statue in front of the Alumni Sports & Fitness Center.
Jake Lamb 鈥�25: F&M Transfer 鈥極ne of the Best Decisions I鈥檝e Ever Made鈥�
It鈥檚 hard to miss Jake Lamb 鈥�25 on Franklin & Marshall鈥檚 campus. You鈥檇 never know Lamb has only been on campus since January 2023. That鈥檚 because he transferred to F&M as a junior 鈥� and he hasn鈥檛 looked back.
Behind the Scenes: Sophomore Sojourn
A space to reflect. A time to set intentions. A place to bond with peers. These are all takeaways from the Sophomore Sojourn, a recent F&M tradition open to students in their second year on campus. Forty sophomores traveled in mid-October to Gretna Glen Camp and Retreat Center, an idyllic woodland property in nearby Lebanon County, for the experience.
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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
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.
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.