BONNIE DRISKILL FRANKLIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
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his scholarship was established by John Franklin to honor his late wife Bonnie, who served as assistant vice president for Marketing and Communications at Ramapo College. In creating this Scholarship Mr. Franklin sought to honor Bonnie’s passion for reading, and how she instilled that passion in her children and grandchildren. He also sought to memorialize Bonnie’s devotion to family, children, education, art, literature and democratic values. In writing down his thoughts on the impetus for the Bonnie Franklin Memorial Scholarship, John Franklin wrote, “Bonnie Driskill Franklin was an early reader … who never stopped reading all her life.” He described how Bonnie passed this gift to her children, a tradition they continued with their children. “And so her children and grandchildren have learned much about art, literature and the interconnectedness of all humanity,” he wrote. John describes how Bonnie translated this gift into her work life and as a volunteer. “In her career Bonnie was engaged in research, writing and public relations at the Cincinnati Public Library, County College of Morris and Ramapo College where she was Assistant Vice President
of Public Relations. She was part of many reading groups, the League of Women Voters, Women in Communication in New Jersey, The Unitarian Universalist Church and other organizations.” “This scholarship is dedicated to the memory of Bonnie Driskill Franklin and a life devoted to family, children, education, art, literature and democratic values,” John continues. “It is dedicated with the hope that others, especially men, will be inspired to take an interest in children’s literature and its use in helping children and parents enjoy life fully. It is hoped that through children’s literature we will find ways to promote tolerance and understanding of ourselves and others.” Specifically, John’s purposes in establishing the Bonnie Franklin Memorial Scholarship are to encourage and support students who are interested in children’s literature as a means of helping children develop intellectually and emotionally; the development of social and emotional intelligence as a part of our education system; advocating for children’s literature as a means of helping parents do a better job of reading to their children; advocating for children’s literature as a means of helping men find their role in child development; developing knowledge and understanding of literature that helps children appreciate diversity of culture, ethnicity, race, gender, gender preference, and physical ability. The Franklin Scholarship is selected later in the spring semester.
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