Franklin & Marshall College Received $6 Million in Gifts

The college secured funding for a new multisport fieldhouse and an eight-lane track in Lancaster.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Philanthropy

Franklin & Marshall College Received $6 Million in Gifts

Live Poll

Do you believe private college facility upgrades provide genuine value to your local community?

Franklin & Marshall College received a total of $6 million in donations to construct the Shadek Varsity House and a new all-weather track. These projects aim to enhance the athletic experience and recruitment efforts for student-athletes at the Lancaster campus.

Why it matters

The college intends to improve recruitment of student-athletes and deliver a top-tier athletic experience through these upgraded facilities. These investments seek to build upon the existing athletic infrastructure at the school.

The donations include $5 million from Larry and Pat Shadek and $1 million from Michael and Dana Arnold. The new track will feature eight lanes and a multipurpose field.

The players

Franklin & Marshall College

This private liberal arts college is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Larry and Pat Shadek

The couple are alumni donors who provided $5 million for the new varsity house.

Michael and Dana Arnold

The couple are alumni donors who contributed $1 million toward the construction of a new track.

The details

The Shadek Varsity House will be constructed at Shadek Stadium, while the new track will sit north of the stadium along Thomas M. Armstrong Boulevard. The new facility is planned to house coaches offices, a recruitment suite, sports medicine, and locker rooms.

Larry Shadek donated $5 million to the stadium project in 2012.
The Shadek donation was announced during a football game on September 1, 2026.
The Arnold donation was announced on September 28, 2026.

Market Landscape

The current expansion follows a pattern set by the 2012 Shadek Stadium construction project. This investment signals an ongoing trend of leveraging alumni funding to modernize private college athletic facilities.

Students and student-athletes can expect enhanced training and recruitment facilities once construction is completed. The local community may see changes to campus access and traffic patterns near Thomas M. Armstrong Boulevard during the development phase.

The takeaway

Private colleges are increasingly relying on targeted alumni donations to fund specific capital improvements that boost program competitiveness. Alumni interested in campus development should look for official announcements regarding project timelines and site accessibility.