Franklin College has received a gift of more than $280,000 from the estate of David C. Hoover, continuing a family legacy of support for the College that spans more than a century. The gift will support the Mildred Mickel Hoover ’23 Dean’s Fellow in Chemistry as part of Franklin Forward: The Campaign for Franklin College.

David Hoover, an Indianapolis native, served as executive director of the Hoover Family Foundation, established in 1992 by his parents, James and Katherine Hoover, and his grandmother, Mildred Mickel Hoover. Through his leadership of the foundation, he continued his family’s tradition of philanthropy and community involvement.

The fund supported by Hoover’s estate gift honors his grandmother, Mildred Mickel Hoover, a 1923 Franklin College graduate who earned her degree in chemistry. She remained connected to the College throughout her life and received the Hail to Franklin Award in 1982 in recognition of her service and commitment to the College.

That connection continued through her son and David’s father, James E. Hoover, who served on the Franklin College Board of Trustees and established an endowed fund in chemistry in honor of his mother. In 2007, James received the College’s Associate Alumni Award in recognition of his outstanding loyalty and service to Franklin College.

The family’s legacy is also reflected across the Franklin College campus. Hoover Hall and the Mickel-Hoover Tennis Courts bear the family name, serving as visible reminders of its longstanding relationship to the College.

“The Hoover family’s long-standing ties to Franklin College exemplify loyal support and philanthropy across generations,” said Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather. “From Mildred’s time as a chemistry student more than a century ago to Jim’s service as a trustee to David’s contributions on behalf of the Foundation, the family has shown an enduring commitment to the value of a Franklin College education. We are deeply grateful to the Hoover family for extending that legacy with this gift that will support future Franklin students.”

This gift contributes to Franklin Forward: The Campaign for Franklin College, which builds on a strong period of institutional momentum. The College has recorded three consecutive years of freshman enrollment increase, risen in the U.S. News & World Report’s Top Performers in Social Mobility ranking among the national liberal arts colleges, and expanded its campus with the opening of the Johnson Memorial Health Athletic Annex and the Center for Tech Innovation. Construction is currently underway to restore and renovate the oldest college gymnasium in Indiana into the Elwood Fitness Center, an athletic and recreation facility to address student fitness needs. Franklin has also launched a competitive esports program and introduced new academic offerings — including cybersecurity, neuroscience, sports communication, sports and fitness management and concentrations in game development and digital marketing — designed to meet evolving student interest and workforce demands. With the Franklin Forward campaign, Franklin College looks to continue this positive and energizing activity into the future, working from a position of strength to shape the Franklin College of tomorrow.

By expanding endowment resources and strategic investments, Franklin Forward aims to position the nearly 200-year-old institution to thrive amid the challenges facing higher education. The 5-year campaign runs through June 30, 2028. To learn more about the campaign and details about giving, go to FranklinCollege.edu/franklin-forward.