Lawrence Rouff, D.D.S., P’99, and Lana K. Rouff P’99 still feel admiration for Franklin & Marshall College 17 years after their daughter, Katie Rouff-Ward, graduated in 1999.
“We remember how Katie felt during her first visit to F&M, that this was the right school for her,” say her parents. “The caring attitude of the administration and faculty, as well as the knowledge and confidence of the students that she met, was all very positive. The size of the school, its reputation, location and the beautiful campus made it a very easy first choice.
“We’re so pleased with the experiences Katie had there. She received a well-rounded education, was captain of the tennis team, joined Chi Omega sorority, and made lifetime friendships. With the help of what is now the Office of Student and Post-Graduate Development, she found a job in New York City directly after graduation. F&M gave her the foundation for her MBA at Fordham University and her Certified Financial Planner Designation (CFP) with Wells Fargo Advisors.”
Rouff-Ward has been at Wells Fargo Advisors for more than 10 years. She is married and lives in Rumson, N.J., with her husband, Andrew, and their two young daughters, Sophie and Ellie.
Because of their daughter’s love for F&M, and in honor of her service as the past president Alumni Association Board, her parents recently created the Katie G. Rouff-Ward ’99 Endowed Financial Aid Fund.
The Rouffs live in Vestal, N.Y., and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Larry is a retired orthodontist. Lana is a past executive director of the Binghamton Philharmonic, and is involved in Rotary International.
The Rouffs funded the scholarship with an IRA charitable distribution, paid directly from the IRA to Franklin & Marshall College. The IRA gift to F&M satisfied their minimum required distribution and was not taxed as income to them. The scholarship dollars will be used to provide need-based scholarships for future F&M students.
“We truly feel that Katie’s success started with Franklin & Marshall and that F&M prepared her for a very successful future,” the Rouffs say. “We hope the scholarship fund will make a difference for a well-deserving student, will help them to attend Franklin & Marshall and, in turn, encourage and motivate them and others to support the College.”
To learn how to craft your own legacy at F&M, or for more information about making a tax-free gift using your IRA, please visit giftplanning.fandm.edu/ira-gift, or contact Mary Ann M. Cooke, J.D., '90, at mcooke@fandm.edu or 717-358-4821.