Activities and Opportunities
Student Life
OrientationTo help students acclimate to their new surroundings, each semester begins with a day-long orientation conducted by the staff at Franklin College. The orientation program not only includes sessions on academics, living in Lugano, and health and safety issues, but also provides a walking tour of the city. Students also have the opportunity to learn more about program by contacting current and past participants on the CWU Facebook Group for Franklin College.
Campus Facilities
There are several facilities open to students in addition to the classrooms, library, bookstore, and computer labs. The Falcon's Nest is a student lounge with wireless Internet access, Ethernet plug-ins, and three desktop computers available for student use. The Falcon's Nest also has a big screen television with cable and a Foosball table. Another student lounge, Ben's Den, contains a television with international cable, and wireless Internet access. At the college sports complex, students have access to a soccer field, basketball court, and weight room.
Student Activities
Franklin College offers many diverse activities for students, including a variety of campus events, student clubs, and team sports. Students also receive discounts to many of the downtown fitness centers.
City of Lugano
Lugano, Switzerland is the cultural, recreational, financial and commercial hub of the southernmost, Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. The city boasts two concert halls, great museums such as the Cantonal Museum of Art and Architecture and Museum of Modern Art, and every variety of shop and restaurant. In addition, there are limitless outdoor activities both on and alongside Lake Lugano, including 40 of Europe's best mountain bike routes.
With its central location, Lugano is also the perfect gateway to all of Europe. A main rail line connects Lugano with Italy to the south via Milan, only 50 miles away, and to the north via principal Swiss cities like Zurich from which the rest of Northern Europe is easily accessible. The Lugano airport links the region to international cities such as Paris, Rome, Geneva, Zurich and London.
Housing
Student HousingStudents will share a campus apartment * with other students in a single or double-room in a multiple apartment in Da Vinci Villa or a triple in Girasole, Florida, Giardino, or Panera. All apartments are within walking distance of Franklin College and are furnished with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, bedrooms, communal living spaces, and Wireless Internet. All kitchenettes and common cooking facilities are stocked with basic cookware, silverware, plates, bowls and glasses. Students will need to bring their own bed linens and towels; however, a pillow and duvet comforter may be leased directly from Franklin College before arriving on campus. Each residence building also has a trained student Resident Assistant (RA) assigned to help participants during their time at Franklin.
Students also have the option of upgrading their housing by paying an Upgraded Housing Fee directly to Franklin College:
- $555 per semester for a single room in a multiple apartment in Giardino, other doubles in Da Vinci Villa
- $840 per semester for a double apartment in Airone, Alba, Florida, Giardino, Gisasole, split doubles in Da Vinci Villa.
- $1,000 per semester in a double apartment in Panera, Single room in Da Vinci Villa, New Residence
- $1,090 per semester in a single room/apartment in Airone, Alba, Florida, Girasole, New Residence
* Due to the limited number of base housing assignments, students who are late in completing their Franklin College Housing Application may be assigned an upgraded housing option and required to pay the Upgraded Housing Fee directly to Franklin College.
Dining Facilities and Optional Meal PlanFranklin College offers two dining facilities that provide food to students, the North Campus Dining Room and the snackbar, commonly known as the Grotto. This family-run establishment caters especially to the needs of Franklin students, yet maintains a distinctly Ticinese character. The Dining Hall serves hot meals throughout the week while the Grotto offers a full salad bar and sandwich buffet option.
Students may purchase an optional meal plan directly from Franklin College, which offers 10 meals week for 14 weeks. The cost for the meal plan is $1,400 for the Fall 2009 Semester and $1,500 for the Spring 2010 Semester. Additional information about the optional meal plan will be provided in the Acceptance Packet from Franklin College.
