F&M Stories
Your Core is 'The Source of Your Passion,' Speaker Tells Graduates
Franklin & Marshall College alumna Dr. Rahel Nardos '97, director of global health for Oregon Health & Science University's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, offered graduates at F&M's May 12 Commencement a perspective on her experiences growing up poor in Ethiopia.
"They were responsible for making me who I am today, what I chose to care about, how I define success, and how hard I am willing to work for it," said Nardos, who supports a women's health program in sub-Saharan Africa."What experiences shape your internal compass? What speaks to you at your core? Take time to find the answers to these questions," she told the Class of 2019. "They will be the source of your passion, your fulfillment and your resilience in the face of obstacles."
Robed in black, 540 students — including 94 international students from 28 countries and 97 first-generation students, crossed Hartman Green on a bright, blue, breezy day to ascend the stage where F&M President Barbara Altmann presented the graduates with their hard-earned baccalaureates.
View the highlights of a day that celebrated achievement:
Related Articles
May 6, 2026
F&M Helps Celebrate Opening of Lancaster’s Stevens & Smith Center
Community spirit filled the air in downtown Lancaster as thousands of people attended a May 2 block party to celebrate the opening of the Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith Center for History and Democracy on Vine Street.
May 6, 2026
‘F&M Will Change How You See the World,’ Senior Says
For Anna Purchase ’26, Franklin & Marshall did more than provide an education. It shaped her worldview. “You get four years to try and enter in as a different person and rebuild the way you see the world,” she said. “F&M is going to change how you see the world, but you have a say in that.”
May 5, 2026
New Documentary Explores the Science and Impact Behind F&M’s Leading Environmental Research Efforts
On April 30, more than 100 members of the Franklin & Marshall and Lancaster communities gathered on campus to view the premiere of a new documentary film that showcases the work that F&M faculty and students are leading to better understand and mitigate water quality and erosion issues affecting the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.














