Franklin College will recognize honorees during the annual Hail to Franklin Awards program and reception on Friday, Oct. 9, at 6 p.m. at Garment Factory Events in downtown Franklin. The Hail to Franklin Awards are a highlight of Homecoming, recognizing individuals for outstanding professional achievements, community contributions and service to Franklin College. Guest registration is required at alumni.franklincollege.edu/e/homecoming-2026.

“We are proud to honor five individuals this year for their achievements, leadership and service,” said Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather. “While their stories are different, they share a deep connection to the values and spirit of Franklin College. We are grateful for all they have accomplished and for the example they continue to set.”

This year’s honorees include three Franklin College alumnae and two friends of the College, who will be recognized as associate alumni. Brief biographies of each honoree follow:

Betty (Reed) Packard Voris of San Francisco, California, is a 1959 Franklin College graduate and recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award. Packard Voris has built a remarkable career as a journalist, editor, race team manager, publisher, speaker, consultant, educator, activist and community leader — often breaking barriers along the way. A first-generation college graduate, Packard Voris earned her Franklin College degree with majors in English and journalism and minors in history and education while raising two young children as a single mother.

Her accomplishments span industries and decades with a career defined by firsts. She was the first woman to lead the business side of a race team — what is now known as the IndyCar race team manager role — when the Mecom Racing Team achieved victory in the 1966 Indianapolis 500. She also became the first woman in Indiana to file for equal pay for equal work, the first woman to edit a national financial magazine and the first woman to serve as the main platform speaker for the Million Dollar Round Table.

As a journalist and communications professional, Packard Voris has worked as a reporter, columnist, editor, freelance writer and consultant. She has edited national insurance and securities publications, developed professional training programs and continued to write and speak throughout her career. As an educator, she led journalism programs at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis and taught continuing education courses for journalism teachers at Ball State University.

Packard Voris also has devoted decades to advocacy and service. She helped secure Indiana’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1978, has served for 30 years on San Francisco’s Ballot Simplification Commission and chaired it since 2004, and has held numerous leadership roles supporting women journalists, the arts, nature, education and community organizations. A recipient of more than 130 writing awards and numerous distinguished service honors, Packard Voris continues to exemplify the impact of a Franklin College education.

She is married to retired U.S. Maj. Stephen Voris and has two grown children, Lisa L. Beaudry and James R. Packard III.

Karle (Schaefer) Hougland of Franklin, Indiana, is a 2009 Franklin College graduate and recipient of the Young Alumni Award. Hougland is a dedicated educator and leader who has built a career focused on helping students and teachers thrive. She is principal of Northwood Elementary School in Franklin, where she provides instructional leadership, supports teachers and staff, oversees daily operations and works to create a safe, supportive and engaging environment for students and families.

Hougland began her career in Johnson County as a teacher at Northwood and Union elementary schools before serving as an instructional coach at Union and Custer Baker Intermediate School. She later became assistant principal at Whiteland Elementary School before returning to Northwood as principal. Her professional accomplishments include earning a master’s degree in educational leadership from Butler University and a High Ability/Gifted and Talented Certification from Ball State University. She also was a Teacher of the Year nominee and has been recognized for 15 years of outstanding service to Franklin Community Schools.

Her commitment to education and leadership began during her time at Franklin College, where she was deeply involved in Pi Beta Phi sorority, serving as chapter president and in other leadership roles. She was recognized as Outstanding Future Educator and Greek Woman of the Year and earned recurring recognition on the Dean’s and President’s lists for academic performance. In 2008, she was selected as the Indianapolis 500 Festival Queen and proudly represented Franklin College throughout her year of service.

Since graduating from Franklin College, Hougland has remained connected to her alma mater through her work with the Education Department. She is a clinical field program liaison and is a member of the department’s Advisory Committee. She returns to campus and speaks with elementary education majors, drawing upon her professional experiences as a classroom teacher, instructional coach and administrator, stressing the multiple career paths available within the field of education. Hougland also assisted the department with its recent Science of Reading literacy accreditation review. Throughout her career in the classroom, Hougland mentored Franklin College students during their elementary education field experiences.

Beyond professional commitments, she enjoys volunteering in Johnson County with her husband, Joe Hougland, Franklin College Class of 2002, and their two sons, Henry and Graham.

Pamela (Whittenbarger) Essex of Plainfield, Indiana, is a 1977 Franklin College graduate and recipient of the Hail to Franklin Award. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in secondary education and endorsements in English and journalism from Franklin College, she holds a master’s degree in education with a journalism endorsement from Indiana University.

Prior to retiring in 2010, Essex dedicated more than three decades to inspiring and mentoring the next generation of journalists and communicators at Tri-West and Avon high schools. Throughout her career teaching English and journalism and advising student newspapers, she earned numerous honors, including Tri-West Teacher of the Year, the Indiana High School Press Association Sengenberger Adviser of the Year Award, Ball State University’s Scholastic Award for Journalism Teacher of the Year, the Avon Service to Education Award and Avon High School Teacher of the Year. She also received four Avon High School Senior Choice Awards, voted on by graduating seniors.

Essex’s commitment to journalism education extended beyond her classrooms. She served as a session leader and journalism camp instructor for the Indiana High School Press Association (IHSPA) and as a session leader for the National Scholastic Press Association. She was immensely proud to see her student newspaper staffs earn numerous state and national honors, including Pacemaker and Harvey Awards.

Her connection to Franklin College has remained strong since her graduation. For many years, Essex brought her students to the IHSPA’s annual fall convention on Franklin’s campus. She estimates that more than 20 of those students eventually became Grizzlies, inspired in part by her encouragement and love of her alma mater. She also remains connected to Franklin College through her family: her husband, John Essex II, is a 1976 graduate and their daughter, Holly Essex, is a 2007 graduate. Pam and John II also have a son, John Essex III.

Robert B. (Rob) Brown and his wife, Ruth Brown, of Carmel, Indiana, are recipients of Associate Alumni Awards. They embrace Franklin College wholly despite neither having attended the institution. Their deep commitment to Franklin College reflects a shared belief in the value of a liberal arts education and the importance of giving back to the community.

Rob has served as a Franklin College trustee since 2014. He earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from DePauw University and a master’s degree in business administration from Indiana University. He spent more than three decades in executive roles at Eli Lilly and Co., ultimately serving as senior vice president and chief marketing officer, before becoming chief executive officer of Brickell Biotech, LLC. He retired in 2023. His connection to Franklin College also has family roots: his stepfather, the late James Hoover, served as a Franklin College trustee, and his mother, the late Carroll Brown Hoover, was a longtime friend of the College.

Ruth graduated from DePauw University with a degree in computational mathematics and worked for more than a decade as a computer programmer in the insurance software industry. She later joined Citicorp POS, where she helped develop one of the first point-of-sale supermarket software systems.

Together, Rob and Ruth have demonstrated their enduring commitment to Franklin College through significant philanthropic support. They recently designated a $4 million estate gift to the College and pledged an additional $500,000 toward the renovation and restoration of the Elwood Fitness Center. They previously supported the renovation of the Center for Tech Innovation and other college initiatives in addition to graciously hosting annual events for Franklin College alumni and friends in their Florida home. The Browns’ generosity reflects their desire to help Franklin College continue to shape the lives of students for generations to come.

Hail to Franklin honorees are selected from nominations reviewed by the Alumni Council, which established the awards program in 1954. Award criteria are available at FranklinCollege.edu/alumni/alumni-council-and-awards/. Guest registration for the Hail to Franklin Awards program and reception is appreciated at FranklinCollege.edu/homecoming. For more information, contact Franklin College’s Office of Communications at (317) 738-8189.