F&M Stories
Common Hour Returns with New Format
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.
Related Articles
August 5, 2025
Nicolas Rios ’23 Brings the Liberal Arts to Goldman Sachs
“At F&M, I wasn’t just learning what to think—I was learning how to think,” said Nicolas Rios ’23. “That ability to analyze, adapt and connect ideas across disciplines has been incredibly valuable in the workforce.” Rios, a business, organizations and society graduate, is now an analyst at Goldman Sachs.
July 29, 2025
Julia Dorf '24 Forges Her Future in Medical Innovation
At F&M, Julia Dorf ’24 immersed herself in hands-on research and formed a strong foundation of the skills she needed for her post-graduate role. “The opportunity to conduct research with professors at F&M was crucial in landing an entry-level position at NYU Langone Health,” she said.
July 24, 2025
Field Research Leads F&M Grad to Hawaiian Wildlife Refuge
Owen Sobel ’24 swapped soccer cleats for hiking boots to pursue a rewarding career in environmental field research and conservation. A former Diplomat midfielder, Sobel is now a U.S. Fish & Wildlife biological technician at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge.