On November 17, 2023, Franklin held a much-anticipated reunion in New York City. Hosted by Board of Trustee Member Lucius Fowler at The Links in Manhattan, 75 guests attended including alumni; parents; Board of Trustee Members; Ambassador Niculin Jäger, Consul General of Switzerland; Chairman Kim Hildebrandt ’90 and President Samuel Martín-Barbero. The evening permitted former classmates and alumni from several generations to relive memories of their time as students, share what is happening in their lives today, and learn more about what is happening on campus at Franklin this academic year. Generations of Frankliners reminisced about how far the university has come over the past fifty plus years and looked forward to new beginnings as the campus grows and global engagement expands.
Nickolas Neibauer ’05, Franklin’s recently appointed Director of Advancement and Alumni, shared, “We are incredibly grateful for Trustee Fowler’s hospitality in hosting us at his club tonight. This city is an important location for our institution. Not only is New York a city with one of the highest concentrations of our alumni, it’s also where Franklin’s founder, Pascal Tone, who is with us tonight, recruited the first class of Franklin during the summer of 1970.”
The next morning, Franklin’s Alumni Council hosted its annual meeting near Times Square. A blended event, alumni were able to attend in person or online from around the globe. Board of Trustees Chairman Kim Hildebrandt ’90, President Martín-Barbero, and staff were present. The Alumni Council reviewed its efforts to date and then set forth its goals and strategy for the upcoming year. Additionally, President Martín-Barbero and staff provided updates on Franklin’s strategic direction, made efforts to engage alumni, and fielded questions from both in person and online participants. Majeda Dakkak ’15 provided alumni with a brief of the recently held forum in Amman, Jordan that featured attendees from from the Middle East to North Africa. Finally, alumni provided both the Alumni Council and Franklin staff with ideas for further engagement and events. It was a memorable event for everyone and inspired the past and present Franklin community to keep the unique institution and its values alive in 2024.