new directions in the arts - Lafayette Magazine - Lafayette College

ALUMNI IN FOCUS
Fry ’82 Named Drexel President
John A. Fry ’82, president of Franklin & Marshall College,
was named president of Drexel University on March 10.
He will return to the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia,
where he served seven years as executive vice president of the University
of Pennsylvania before joining Franklin & Marshall in 2002.
Under Fry, Franklin & Marshall has improved its admissions profile,
lowered the student-faculty ratio, broadened the curriculum, and
transformed the student residence environment into a college house
system.
At Penn, Fry was responsible for all matters related to finance, investments,
human resources, physical facilities, real estate, public safety,
information systems and computing, auxiliary enterprises, technology
transfer, corporate relations, internal audit, and compliance. He helped
develop and implement the plan that guided Penn’s strategic initiatives
from 1996 to 2001, including a nationally recognized neighborhood
revitalization of West Philadelphia.
Lafayette awarded Fry an honorary doctor of humane letters degree
at the 173rd Commencement in 2008. ■
Working Together
Brett Muney ’86 hosted Chris McConnell ’09 in a summer
internship at Saratoga Futures, New York City.
“Chris was able to learn about everything involved in our
business while sitting next to one of the principals of the firm.
We involved him in as many aspects of our business as we could
(only those things that require a securities license were offlimits).
He was a great asset and a great representative of the
Lafayette community. We certainly enjoyed his time here and really
appreciated the effort he put forth. His curiosity, ambition, and
energy should serve him well in the future.”
46 lafayette • SPRING 2010
COURTESY OF DREXEL UNIVERSITY
Philadelphia
Chamber Honors
Austen ’86
Mary Stengel Austen ’86,
president and CEO of
Tierney Communications,
Philadelphia, was the recipient
of the Greater Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce’s 2010
Paradigm Award, the region’s
most prestigious award for
businesswomen.
The award is given annually to
an influential chief executive of a
for-profit enterprise with a strong
economic impact on the region.
Austen was honored in March at
a luncheon where she designated
$25,000 in charitable gifts provided
with support from Ernst & Young.
Austen was nominated for the
award by Joseph A. Frick, president
of Independence Blue Cross. “Mary
is a passionate Philadelphia business
executive, committed to building
her company and to enhancing
the social fabric of our community
through her energetic involvement
in many activities and causes,”
Frick said.
The Philadelphia Business Journal
named Austen a 2004 Woman of
Distinction, and, in 2005, the City
of Hope presented her with its
Spirit of Life Award. Last year, she
was recognized by the Pennsylvania
League of Women Voters with its
Civic Leadership Award and was
chosen as the Woman of Heart
Honoree for the American Heart
Association’s Go Red for Women
Luncheon. ■