Sailing master and varsity coach Fran Charles carries a sail down the dock. Fran has sailed “just about” before he could walk - it seems his entire life has been related to sailing in one way or another. As a student at Tufts, he was on the US Olympic team in 1980. Fran notes ironically, “unfortunately, it was the year that Jimmy Carter wouldn't let us go to the Olympics because Russia invaded Afghanistan - and now, twenty-three years later, we invade Afghanistan.” Since then, he's owned a sailboat mast company, sold cloth to sailmakers, worked as a controller at Doyle Sailmakers, and ran a sailing center in Charlestown before arriving at MIT in 1992.

Fran is a familiar face and friendly voice to visitors of the pavilion, always telling students not to let the pressures of MIT take over their lives. “Get outside and go sailing!” he enthusiastically tells students.