December 8, 1998

Student vies for top scholarships

Mary Anne Franks is not the typical college student.

While most of her peers are beginning to contemplate what they will do after graduation and where their careers will take them, Franks, a senior majoring in English Literature and philosophy, and minoring in the classics, has a definite goal in mind.

This trailblazer from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, plans to become either a Fulbright or a Rhodes scholar. Franks had not even considered applying for the scholarships until the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Frank E. Scully, proposed the idea to her in a meeting in which she introduced herself as the president of the philosophy club. Franks, while working on her own applications, is working to enhance the facilities and resources that are available to students who may apply for these scholarships in the future. If awarded one of the scholarships, Franks hopes to study interdisciplinary works of philosophy, literature, and psychoanalysis in Europe.

Franks says that she came to Loyola instinctively and is thoroughly pleased with her experiences here. She credits her professors for both inspiring and challenging her. She claims that Assistant Professor of Philosophy Erik Vogt, Ph.D., has a remarkable way of thinking which has given her new perspectives and eradicated her notion that literature and philosophy are two separate entities. She also credits Associate Professor of English William T. Cotton and says, “His reputation precedes him. He was the most intimidating professor and my most difficult class, but he prompts his students to strive for excellence.” Cotton also speaks highly of Franks, who he says is “probably the most brilliant student I’ve encountered at Loyola.”

Franks is involved in many activities at Loyola and currently serves as the president of the philosophy club and editor-in-chief of ReVisions, the Loyola University literary magazine. Franks also has been published in several magazines, including Quarter After Eight and has received numerous awards and scholarships including a Loyola University Ignatian Scholarship and the Dawson Gaillard Awards for Excellence in Writing. She was a finalist in the Elie Wiesel Prize in Ethics Essay Contest.

Even with her many accomplishments, Franks affirms that one of her proudest achievements is being instrumental in the establishment of the philosophy club. “Providing students with a way to articulate themselves and a medium to exchange ideas is great.” Franks adds that “Many people here have a lot of foresight. Loyola is a force to be reckoned with.”

Whether Franks knows it, so is she.