Your support helps shape the Franklin experience in ways both visible and lasting. It creates spaces where students can learn and connect, opens doors through scholarships, strengthens our academic community through endowed professorships, and helps make possible the buildings and places that define our campus.
On this page, we share stories of what your generosity makes possible, and the people and places that benefit from it. These are just some of the ways our alumni, parents, friends, and supporters are making an impact at Franklin today.
New Tables, New Classrooms
September, 2026
When students returned to campus this fall, many of the classrooms looked different. New tables and chairs had been installed over the summer, thanks to the generosity of the Franklin community on Giving Day last April and the Graduating Class of 2026, whose class gift supported the same goal of reimagining our classrooms.
The biggest change is flexibility. Tables can be pushed together for a seminar, separated for group work, or moved to the walls to make room for more active learning. Faculty can now arrange each classroom to suit the needs of their class, rather than teaching around the furniture. In total, three classrooms have been refurbished to better support student learning and collaboration.
In April, these improvements were a fundraising goal. By the start of the new academic year, they were ready for students and faculty to use. The result is a more adaptable learning environment designed around the way classes happen today.
鈥淭he new classroom furniture makes the rooms feel more welcoming and comfortable, creating a positive environment for learning. The students seem to appreciate the change too, and the new setup helps them feel comfortable, focused, and engaged during lessons. It has made a real difference to the classroom experience.鈥 Dr. Bernd Bucher, Associate Professor of Political Science
From the classrooms where students learn today to the memories they will carry with them long after graduation, these spaces are part of the Franklin experience.
A Renewed Grotto
April, 2025
The Franklin community came together to give the Grotto a new lease on life. In just 24 hours, 88 members of the Franklin community raised more than $70,000 to renew one of the campus鈥檚 most beloved gathering places.
The improvements included comfortable new seating, sturdy tables, and framed photography celebrating Franklin鈥檚 history and spirit. But the goal was about more than updating the space. The Grotto has long been a place for the everyday moments that make campus feel like home 鈥 a morning cappuccino, a conversation between classes, a study session, or simply time spent together.
The work was completed over the summer, so that students returned in the fall to a refreshed space ready to welcome them. Today, the Grotto continues to serve as a hub for conversation, connection, and community.
During the 2025 Day of Giving, alumni and friends shared what the Grotto meant to them:
鈥淭he Grotto is such a special part of the Franklin experience.鈥
鈥淭he Grotto is where it ALL happens.鈥
鈥淕reat memories at the Grotto.鈥
鈥淎 place to relax, connect & enjoy.鈥
What began as a one-day fundraising effort became a lasting investment in a space filled with memories, and one that will continue to create new ones for generations of Franklin students.
