Franklin College will receive $3 million in estate gifts, aimed at enhancing student and faculty opportunities through the institution’s endowment.
The gifts include a $1 million contribution from E.J. “Jane” Betts, a 1962 alumna of the college. The donation will establish The E. Jane Betts Endowment for Women’s Athletics at Franklin College, supporting the professional growth of coaches and administrators who lead female student athletes, according to a news release from the college.
Betts, who earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education from Franklin College, dedicated her career to creating and improving opportunities for women in sports. She was instrumental in advocating for Title IX, the federal legislation ensuring equal opportunities for men and women in athletics.
She has received numerous honors recognizing her work as a leader in women’s athletics including membership in the Franklin College Athletics Hall of Fame and the Franklin College Lifetime Achievement Award, the news release says.
“The success of intercollegiate athletes is directly influenced by the preparedness of the coaches and administrators who lead them,” Betts said in the release. “This gift is intended to encourage and assist coaches and administrators to become the best that they can be as the leaders of Franklin College women athletes.”
Gregg W. Happe, a 1973 alumnus, and his wife Lynda have pledged $1 million to support The Happe Family Academic Resource Center, or ARC, in the B.F. Hamilton Library on campus. Established in 2012, the center provides educational support services to students to foster thinking, learning and collaboration, the news release says.
“Lynda and I are grateful for the opportunity to support the work undertaken at the ARC,” Gregg said in the release. “Our goal is to see it continue to be a profoundly impactful piece of the student experience at Franklin.”
David W. Wantz, a Franklin College trustee, and Susan “Susie” B. Fleck have also dedicated a $1 million gift to provide financial assistance to students for domestic and international travel opportunities. Wantz, with over 40 years of experience in private higher education, retired as president and CEO of the Independent Colleges of Indiana and is an advocate for educational opportunities, the college said.
Wantz has served as a governor’s appointee to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy Training Board for the last 16 years. He holds a doctorate of education in counseling psychology from Indiana University and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Holy Cross College.
A Franklin College journalism professor emerita, Fleck has been recognized for her contributions to the field and is passionate about supporting students’ educational experiences. She has spent her retirement pursuing her own photography as owner of Susan Fleck Photography LLC and traveling. Her works have been published in various galleries in Indianapolis, New York and Norway, according to the news release.
“We are first-generation college students who are the proof of the benefits of a liberal arts education,” Fleck said in a statement. “Our gift is an attempt to give students the benefits we have experienced, particularly to travel as part of their studies.”
Franklin College President Kerry Prather expressed his gratitude for the estate gifts and the impact they’ll have in in the news release.
“These gifts will enhance our ability to provide students with the distinctive immersive learning experience for which Franklin College is widely recognized,” he said.
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