The Gorell Educational Fund was established in honor of Franklin Gorell’s passion for music, to provide scholarships for deserving young men and women who reside in western Pennsylvania.
A son of Russian immigrants, Franklin grew up in Highland Park and graduated from Peabody High School. He continued his studies at the Curtis School of Music in Philadelphia, where he eventually became a board member. He also served in the United States Army and Navy bands and was a member of the Pittsburgh and Baltimore symphonies in the 1930s and 1940s before pursuing a career in business.
Franklin’s success with Season-All industries enabled him to support musical causes well into his retirement. Gorell Recital Hall at Indiana University of Pennsylvania was named to recognize his donation that helped fund its renovation. As a board member, he and his wife, Mary, also endowed a chamber music series at the school, as well as a scholarship for music students.
The Gorell Educational Fund is a continuation of that initial scholarship, providing scholarship opportunities to music students not only at IUP but throughout all of Western Pennsylvania.