The Power of Community

As we entered last weekend, the Franklin & Marshall community knew we would need to come together as Hurricane Sandy approached the east coast. Our Crisis Management Team met throughout the weekend as we monitored weather assessments and eventually made the decision to close campus and cancel classes for Monday and Tuesday, October 29 and 30.

While we feel fortunate to have escaped the worst of this historic storm, our thoughts and prayers are with all those in areas that are so badly affected. Many have family and friends who are facing serious challenges in the aftermath of the storm, and some students and colleagues may still be making their way back to campus. In the coming days, I am confident we will continue to take good care of one another and remain sensitive and responsive to the needs of individual students and colleagues.

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Backstage in D-Hall.

Circular tables lend themselves to great discussion.

A group of students congregates in D-Hall during the storm.

Ted and Germain out bright and early Tuesday morning.

In the kitchen with Brent.

I say this with confidence because of the interactions I had with students, professional staff, faculty, alumni, parents and friends of the College over the last five days. We can all take pride in F&M’s extremely dedicated teams who worked around the clock to provide the most secure and comfortable environment possible. From our facilities crew working before the storm arrived and then providing maintenance help throughout and following the storm, to our colleagues at Sodexo serving meals for students on campus throughout our closing, to our library staff providing space for study, and many more, we are fortunate to be part of such a supportive and caring community.