With the start of the fall semester comes the continuation of a Franklin & Marshall tradition, but with a twist. 

Common Hour begins Sept. 7 and will resume weekly with the addition of a new Campus Hour program.

Events are Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and held in the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts unless otherwise noted. Common Hour and Campus Hour events are open to the public. View the complete schedule. 

Common Hour enables the F&M and Lancaster communities to engage in a campuswide dialogue about vital international, national and local issues. While Common Hour has a lecture format, Campus Hour has a discussion and activity format. 

Campus Hour aims to mirror Common Hour’s wide-ranging programming, but with an emphasis on F&M topics and resources. 

The Sept. 7 kickoff event, “Building Resiliency and Mental Health Through Multiple Pillars of Wellness,” features Josh March, owner of Lancaster-based EmPower Training Systems and member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

There are 13 Common Hour talks scheduled for the fall semester. They feature faculty experts, alumni leaders, and speakers from outside the campus community. The final event of the academic year is a Dec. 7 student concert featuring the College's popular a cappella groups.

Many of the events will be recorded and shared with off-campus audiences, including alumni, students studying abroad, and friends of the College.