A Perfect Fit

Cara Mullen, a political science and philosophy major on the pre-law track, knew that she wanted to attend a college with a strong support system, especially through the faculty. 

“That was really important to me: to know that I would not only be able to have close connections with my professors, but also other staff who are here to support me and don’t just want to see me do well while I am here, but also succeed afterwards, too,” said Mullen. 

From the beginning, she found that Franklin College was a perfect fit.  

“When I did my tour here, I actually got to meet Dr. Smith, and I met Dr. Fetter-Harrott on my registration day. They just sealed the deal for me; they were so great. And they really made my experience here personal from the start. That’s what I really appreciated and wanted in my college experience,” Mullen said. 

Over the years, the connections with her professors have grown stronger and more impactful. “Though I am in one of the smaller departments here, even students in our most popular majors have the opportunity to develop personal relationships with their professors, and other faculty and staff. And, they have such a wide-ranging network of connections that you just don’t have yet. You’re not as experienced; you’re still in college. So, they’ll hear about opportunities that might be good for you since they know you so well. They’ll send them your way and otherwise you wouldn’t hear about them. I think that really speaks to how close you are and the meaningful relationships that you get to form,” she said. 

Along with those connections, Mullen, who graduates in 2025, has benefitted from student involvement opportunities on campus, from being vice president of diversity and inclusion for the Student Government Association to being a Launch mentor.  

Her most impactful experiences, however, have been traveling abroad as part of Franklin’s Global Education program. She has traveled to Denmark, Copenhagen, Kosovo, Budapest, and most recently Japan. She was able to finance her travels with scholarships earned through Franklin’s Intercultural Honors Experience (IHE). Mullen enjoys traveling abroad and plans to use her travel skills in her law career. 

“I am very interested in international relations and diplomacy, which is something that would definitely require a lot of traveling. I was never a big traveler until I took a chance and went abroad last summer (2023), and then I really enjoyed it.” — Cara Mullen ’25

Mullen has found value in being involved at Franklin College, from connecting with her professors to traveling halfway around the world.