Franklin College has established the John M. Chiarotti ’67 Dean’s Fellowship in Business, Economics and Accounting, a $250,000 endowment honoring the life and legacy of the late John M. Chiarotti ’67, a Franklin College alumnus, educator, coach, administrator and trustee.

Established through an alumni-led fundraising effort, the fellowship will support students and faculty in business, economics and accounting. The fund will provide financial assistance to a student and a stipend to a faculty member who will guide the student’s learning through opportunities such as conferences, travel and other experiential learning experiences.

The fellowship reflects Chiarotti’s lifelong commitment to Franklin College and his belief in the transformative power of education.

“John Chiarotti’s relationship with Franklin College was extraordinary, both in its longevity and the many ways he served this institution,” said Franklin College President Kerry N. Prather. “As a student-athlete, professor, coach, administrator, alumnus, trustee and benefactor, John devoted much of his life to creating opportunities for others. This fellowship is a fitting tribute to that legacy because it will continue his commitment to students and faculty and his confidence in the transformative power of a Franklin College education.”

Chiarotti’s relationship with Franklin College began when a college recruiter noticed him as a high school athlete in Michigan. Growing up poor as a first-generation American and the son of Italian immigrants, Chiarotti was set to enter the Marines using the GI Bill to further his education. Instead, Franklin College changed his life forever and, as he often said, may have saved his life. He carried that belief throughout his life and became emotional whenever he spoke about the opportunity Franklin had given him. He accepted the athletic scholarship offered by Franklin College and traveled by Greyhound bus from Detroit to Franklin without having previously visited campus.

He majored in business and distinguished himself as both a scholar and student-athlete, participating in football and track and field. He was a two-time co-captain of the football team, voted MVP in 1965, selected twice as 1^st team all-conference and was the winner of the Wil B. Nelp Award recognizing the top senior athlete. In the classroom, he won the Wall Street Journal Award given to the top student in Business and Economics. His connection to the College would ultimately span more than 57 years of professional and volunteer service.

Throughout his life, Chiarotti served Franklin College as vice president of finance, business professor, tennis, track and field and football coach, Alumni Council member and member of the Board of Trustees. He was also inducted into the Franklin College Athletic Hall of Fame and was recognized with the Alumni Citation for Lifetime Achievement.

Chiarotti’s support of Franklin College also extended to philanthropy. He co-founded the Franklin College Touchdown Club with Jay Hunsucker ’75 and Don Treibic ’65 in 1999. Created to give Franklin College alumni, friends and families opportunities to engage with one another and support the football program, the organization has since raised nearly $1.5 million. His family’s legacy of generosity also includes the Chiarotti Family Endowed Scholarship in memory of Gloria Ann Chiarotti, which supports Franklin College students majoring in science-related fields.

Beginning with its inception in 1986, Chiarotti served the Elba L. and Gene Portteus Branigin Foundation in various leadership roles such as president, vice president and treasurer. Through his leadership, the foundation has directed millions of dollars in support of Franklin College.

That same devotion extended to his family. His children, Kristen (Chiarotti) Prusiecki ’93 and John Chiarotti II ’96, grew up around the College and later followed their father as Franklin graduates.

“We are incredibly grateful to his many friends who came together to honor Dad in such a meaningful way. This fellowship is especially profound because it grew from a grassroots effort among people who loved our Dad, were influenced by him and wanted to give back in his honor. We are deeply thankful for their generosity and for the relationships that made this possible. Dad accomplished an extraordinary amount in his life, particularly considering his humble beginnings, but he never believed he had done anything special or anything that others couldn’t do. His greatest pride was not in his accomplishments, but in the relationships with people he taught, coached, mentored and personally invested in. His focus was always on helping others grow, succeed and reach their potential. The creation of this fellowship is a wonderful reflection of his positive impact and a meaningful way for his legacy of creating opportunities for others to continue,” said John Chiarotti II ’96 and Kristen (Chiarotti) Prusiecki ’93.

The effort to create a lasting tribute to Chiarotti began among a group of alumni friends and was led by Jeff Craver ’74, Bob Colin ’78, Phil Powell ’73 and Don Treibic ’65. Alumni and friends from across the country quietly came together to establish the endowed fellowship, keeping the effort secret from Chiarotti. The fellowship was revealed to him at a gathering of family and friends, where he was overwhelmed with emotion and deeply humbled by the honor. He knew many of the individuals whose names were associated with Franklin College’s other Dean’s Fellowships and simply did not believe he belonged in that company. Rather than focus on himself, however, he spent the next hour going around the room and telling each person what they meant to him.

“The endowed fellowship means that John will be able to help the College in perpetuity, year after year helping a student who needs financial assistance and recognizing a professor for their expertise and dedication,” said Jeff Craver ’74. “John would want the student to say, ‘I have a goal, and I’ll do whatever it takes to achieve it.’”

Although Chiarotti did not live to see the fellowship begin supporting students and faculty, he knew about the fellowship and experienced the love and appreciation of the people who created it. The endowed fund ensures that the commitment he made to Franklin College throughout his life will continue to create opportunities for future generations.

“This fellowship provides a unique opportunity to support both faculty excellence and student learning,” said Kristin Flora, Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College. “By pairing faculty mentorship with financial support and experiential learning opportunities, the fellowship will enhance students’ academic experiences while helping them develop knowledge and skills that support their educational and career goals.”

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 new student enrollment increase and earned top-ten rankings from U.S. News & World Report among Midwest regional colleges, including overall quality, best value and social mobility. Franklin has expanded its campus with the Johnson Memorial Health Athletic Annex and Center for Tech Innovation, while construction is underway to transform Indiana’s oldest college gymnasium into the Elwood Fitness Center. The College has also launched a competitive esports program and introduced new academic offerings in areas including cybersecurity, neuroscience, sports communication, sports and fitness management, game development and digital marketing.

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 giving details, visit FranklinCollege.edu/franklin-forward.