Behind the Sidelines: Fumi Franklin’s Role in Family, Football, and Philanthropy

Basic Information

From Pullman to Penn State: The Making of a Partnership

In 1998, on the rolling hills of Pullman, Washington, a graduate assistant coach crossed paths with a student who cared deeply about education and community. That student was Fumi. The coach was James Franklin. Their connection outlasted stops and starts, reintroductions and relocations—finally culminating in a Green Bay proposal and a 2005 wedding. The rhythm of their life together soon merged with the unpredictable cadence of college football, yet their shared emphasis never wavered: education, family, and the people around them.

When the Franklins arrived at Penn State in 2014, Fumi stepped into the public eye without seeking the spotlight. She’s spoken of her interest in the transitional bridge between high school and college—how students navigate complex systems, where support breaks down, and where it can be strengthened. That instinct to help others find footing has shaped her quiet but steady presence around the program.

Family First: Shola and Addison

Fumi and James are parents to two daughters, Shola and Addison. Their family life is a mix of routine and football-season improvisation—school, practices, travel, weekends at Beaver Stadium, and the ebb and flow of a calendar that resets every August. Shola, the elder, grew up around locker rooms, meetings, and media days; in that sense, her childhood is woven into the fabric of a major college program. Addison, the younger, is a beacon of resilience and joy whose health has shaped the family’s decisions.

Their household story is not about celebrity but about daily acts of care: the school pickups, the bedtime rehash of the day’s highs and lows, the long drives to medical appointments, the notes on a kitchen whiteboard reminding everyone which bag goes where and when.

Health, Grit, and Game Plans

Addison has sickle cell disease. That fact, simple and stark, has been a constant compass for the family. During COVID-era seasons, Fumi and the girls sometimes lived apart from James to reduce risk—an arrangement that required meticulous planning and emotional stamina. It was football as logistics, with the stakes measured not in wins and losses but in safety and peace of mind.

Even beyond pandemic conditions, health has remained core to the family’s roadmap. Access to top-tier medical care played a role in their move to Penn State, and Fumi’s approach—steady, prepared, unflinching—has guided how they navigate both the expected demands of a football calendar and the unexpected curves of life with a chronic condition. If a season is a marathon of sprints, then her presence is the even breath that sustains the pace.

Philanthropy in Action: Educational Equity

In 2019, Fumi and James helped launch the Franklin Family Educational Equity Scholarship at Penn State, focused on widening access for first-generation and historically underrepresented students. The effort married their belief in education’s transformative power with a tangible mechanism to support students who might otherwise be left at the margins. Early fundraising pushed past the $400,000 mark, and the scholarship has become a recurring touchstone of their public life.

That same year, the couple were honored by the Penn State Renaissance Fund. It was a moment governed less by ceremony than by mission: to help students succeed, to smooth the path from high school to college, and to back up words with resources. Around the program, Fumi also engages with campus life—from community events to student-led philanthropy—reinforcing the idea that a football program can serve as a conduit for broader civic good.

Life Around the Program

Ask people inside the program who Fumi is, and you’re likely to hear about constancy. She’s there—on game days greeting families, at campus events with a word of encouragement, in hallways offering a listening ear to a player who needs five minutes to breathe. She’s the careful harmonizer of home rhythms and program rhythms, the person who reminds a family that the calendar may be crowded but that there’s always room for purpose.

Fumi doesn’t chase the microphone; she crafts the environment. It’s her style to build relationships in small acts—remembering names, sending a text after a tough exam week, showing up at a fundraiser at the end of a long day. If public life is a stage, she’s the one adjusting the lights so everyone else can be seen clearly.

Timeline

By the Numbers

What Guides Her

• Education as a springboard: Fumi’s academic background and interest in school-to-college transitions inform her advocacy.
• Family as the north star: Every decision, from housing to schedules, runs through the lens of safety and stability for her daughters.
• Community as the canvas: Whether it’s a student fundraiser or a scholarship reception, she treats campus as a place where individual stories deserve oxygen.

What People Notice

• Presence without spectacle: She rarely seeks formal titles but consistently fills essential roles.
• Consistency: The same person at a charity event on a Tuesday is there on a Saturday under stadium lights.
• Empathy in action: Small gestures—often unseen—make the machine of a big-time program feel human.

FAQ

Who is Fumi Franklin?

She is the wife of Penn State head football coach James Franklin and a community-minded advocate for educational access.

How did Fumi and James Franklin meet?

They first met in 1998 at Washington State University and married in 2005.

Do they have children?

Yes, they have two daughters: Shola and Addison (“Addy”).

What health condition affects their family?

Addison has sickle cell disease, which has influenced family and seasonal living arrangements.

What causes does Fumi support?

She champions educational equity and, with James, helped create the Franklin Family Educational Equity Scholarship at Penn State.

What is her educational background?

She attended Washington State University and is reported to hold a master’s degree in education administration.

Is Fumi active on social media?

She maintains a low public profile; her family and philanthropic work are more often highlighted through program and university channels.

When did the Franklins move to Penn State?

They began their Penn State chapter in 2014, aligning family priorities with the program’s opportunities and community.