Fall Orientation

Arrival Day

All new students should plan to check in at the P. Gregory Warden Student Center in the McNeely Center of Ideas & Imagination at Via Ponte Tresa 18 on Tuesday, August 18. Students will be able to move into their residence halls and begin adjusting to their new home.

• New Student Check-In - 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Lunch - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• Get to Know You Activity (optional) - 5:00 p.m.

• New Student Welcome - Kaletsch Auditorium - 6:00 p.m.

• Dinner - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Walk to the Lake with the Orientation Mentors - 8:30 p.m.

• Breakfast - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 

• 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. Each group will have lunch in between several sessions. Sessions will include, but are not limited to:
  • A welcome and introduction to some of the systems we use on campus;
  • Their initial meeting to apply for their student permit;
  • A campus and neighborhood tour;
  • An introduction to campus life;
  • An important presentation about safety and security; and 
  • An overview of several of the people and tools essential to students' academic success at Franklin.

• New students should report to the Giardino di Luce in the McNeely Center of Ideas & Imagination at 6:30 p.m. for a group photo. 

• On Wednesday evening between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., students, faculty, staff, and families will take part in an annual tradition, A Taste of Ticino, a buffet-style dinner of local and regional dishes.

• Breakfast - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. 

• Orientation Sessions - Students will continue meeting with their Orientation Groups and with the larger group of new students at sessions related to: 
  • Communication and courtesy at Franklin; 
  • Information regarding academic requirements and course registration;
  • The campus culture and our student body;
  • First meetings of First-Year Seminars;
  • Health and wellness resources at Franklin; and 
  • Sustainability initiatives on campus.

• Dinner - Grotto, Kaletsch Campus - 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Residence Hall Meetings (required for on-campus students) - Residence Halls - 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 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.

• Walk to Laghetto Muzzano (optional) - Students who would like to go for an evening walk on the walking/running path at a nearby lake should join the Orientation Mentors at the Giardino di Luce at 8:30 p.m.

Important: Students who have a meal plan will begin using their meal plans for their meals today. Students who do not have a meal plan who would like to eat on campus should plan to pay with cash or credit card.

• Breakfast - Dining Hall, North Campus - 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

• Course Registration - All new students will have an individual appointment with their advisors on August 22 to register for their courses. Study abroad students who have already selected their courses will also have a meeting scheduled for Friday. Students will receive information about these meetings in their Admissions portal before they arrive on campus. It is extremely important you attend your mandatory meeting.  

• Quick IKEA Trips (optional) - 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 at 10:00 and return by 12:30, and one will leave at 14:00 and return by 16:30. 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 bring something to sleep on if they intend to purchase linens at IKEA on Friday. 

• Valle Verzasca Overview - Auditorium - 5:30 p.m. - Students planning to participate in the Valle Verzasca field trip on Saturday must attend an information session on Friday. Students who do not attend will not be permitted on the bus on Saturday. 

• Dinner - Dining Hall, North Campus - 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Social Activities (optional) - Various Locations on Campus - 8:00 p.m. to 9:50 p.m.

• Brunch - Dining Hall, North Campus - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

• 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 a significant Franklin tradition and marks the end of Orientation. 

• Dinner - Dining Hall, North Campus - open until 8:00 p.m.