Imagine your beloved child, who has chronic health conditions, is deciding which college to attend. You would hope she finds a caring community that will support her for the next four years. The Mardirossian family found exactly that at Franklin & Marshall College.

“I knew I didn’t want to be a number,” said Karis Mardirossian ’24, speaking about when she first visited F&M. “And I wanted to get to know my professors.”

Karis, a business, organizations & society major and former member of Alpha Xi Delta and the F&M Dance Company, remembered her initial tour of F&M fondly. “From the time I first walked onto the campus, I knew this was a community,” she recalled. “Even my tour guide was more friendly than the tour guides [at other colleges].”

Karis is the youngest child of her parents, Marianne and Aris. She found exactly what she was looking for, and what she needed, at F&M. Her parents were so pleased with Karis’ experience, they wanted to help other students have that same opportunity. They are making that possible with the Mardirossian Endowed Financial Aid Fund.

“We chatted with some of Karis’ professors while she was a student,” Marianne recalled. “It was just like talking to someone in your living room. Karis really found a second home at F&M.”

Marianne and Aris were members of the F&M Parents Council and visited campus frequently, including during True Blue Weekend and for Karis’ dance recitals.

Karis believes that if she had not chosen F&M, she would not now have her undergraduate degree.

“I had some very serious health issues, and had to leave campus to have surgery,” she recalled. “I had to be out for a while. My professors worked with me to help me meet all the requirements for my degree. They didn’t lower the academic standards; I did all the work. But they were exceptionally kind and that really helped me graduate on time, even with my health challenges.”

They really cared about me and what was happening in my life,” she added. “For example, I so wanted to be at the spring dance recital and I couldn’t be there because I was recovering; my dance professor sent me a video of the recital so I could enjoy it when I felt better.”

Karis’ parents agreed. They said the special accommodations her professors made for Karis’ unique circumstances were exceptional and provided the help she needed.

“We have five children and four of them went to college before Karis; she is the baby,” Aris said. “Because we have five children, we have a lot of experience with professors and colleges. F&M was just the best. What her professors did for her was unbelievable.”