Fall Orientation

Monday, August 12

Q&A with Orientation Mentors

Meet several of our OMs at 6 p.m. (CEST - Central European Summer Time) and ask some of the questions that have been on your mind about being a Franklin student. Students will receive the Zoom information via e-mail in advance of the session.

Tuesday, August 20

New Student Orientation

New students will participate in activities and informational sessions to learn about resources, what it means to be a Franklin student, policies and expectations, and other valuable information. Participation in all parts of Orientation is mandatory, with the exception of meals. Look for more details regarding the Orientation schedule later this summer. 

Arrival Day

All new students should plan to arrive on campus on Tuesday, August 20. Students will be able to move into their residence halls and start getting adjusted to their new home. All students will check in at the McNeely Center of Ideas and Imagination in the Student Center Lounge at Via Ponte Tresa 18 in Sorengo. 

Schedule:

• New Student Check-In - Student Center Lounge, McNeely Center of Ideas and Imagination  - 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Lunch - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 12 p.m. to 1:30 pm
• Welcome - Kaletsch Auditorium - 6:45 pm
• Dinner - Dining Hall, North Campus - 7:15 p.m. to 8:15 p.m.
• Optional Walk to the Lake - 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 21

Wednesday Orientation Sessions

Students will participate in mandatory sessions to help them prepare for their time at Franklin and move around campus in their Orientation Groups. Sessions will include but are not limited to:

• A welcome and introduction to campus;
• Their initial meeting to apply for their student permit;
• A campus tour;
• An intercultural communication exercise;
• An introduction to campus life;
• Lunch;
• A presentation about safety and security.

Students, faculty, staff, and families will take part in an annual tradition, A Taste of Switzerland, for dinner on Wednesday evening between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Group Photo of Incoming Students at 18:00

Families are invited to several sessions, a campus tour, a reception with faculty and staff, and A Taste of Switzerland for dinner.

Thursday, August 22

Schedule:

• Breakfast - Dining Hall, North Campus - 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 

Between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., students will continue with their Orientation Groups and take part in presentations including but not limited to:

• Information regarding academic requirements and course registration;
• Adjusting to life at Franklin;
• The campus culture and our student body;
• Resources and responsibilities;
• Lunch;
• First meetings of First-Year Seminars;
• Resources and responsibilities;
• Sustainability initiatives on campus.

• Dinner - Dining Hall, North Campus - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Residence Hall Meetings (required for on-campus students) - Residence Halls - 8 p.m. to 9 p.m.

All new students living on campus will have a chance to meet some of their neighbors and learn more about residence hall policies and procedures. Student Resident Assistants will conduct these mandatory meetings.

Friday, August 23

Course Registration

All new students will have an individual appointment with their advisors on August 23 and receive details about the time and place when they check in on August 20. It is extremely important that you attend this meeting. 

Quick IKEA Trips

New students will have the opportunity to go to IKEA for a quick trip to get things for their new apartments. One bus will leave in the morning, and one will go in the afternoon to accommodate students’ mandatory advising schedules. Spaces are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Orientation schedule is very full, and Friday will be our first opportunity to offer a small bus to IKEA. We strongly recommend that students rent linens ahead of time or bring something to sleep on for a few days if they intend to purchase linens at IKEA.

Schedule:

• Breakfast - Dining Hall, North Campus - 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Students will attend individual advising appointments during their assigned meeting times on Friday. Several optional activities will occur in the morning and afternoon on Friday so they do not conflict with advising appointments, like a small bus to IKEA and a walk downtown. Lunch will be available in the Dining Hall between 12:00 and 13:30.

• Dinner - Dining Hall, North Campus - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• Optional Social Activities - Various Locations on Campus - 8 p.m. to 9:50 p.m.

Saturday, August 24

Day Trip to Valle Verzasca

Each year, New Franklin students take a bus trip to a beautiful region in Ticino to hike, swim, and relax with other new students surrounded by incredible scenery. This annual trip is an important Franklin tradition and marks the end of Orientation. 

Schedule:

• Brunch - Dining Hall, North Campus - 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• Day Trip  - 12:00 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Dinner will be open Saturday evening until 8 p.m.