Common Hour

Common Hour is an unique and inclusive program that brings the F&M community together during the academic year, for culturally and intellectually enriching events. It is the only regularly scheduled event that unites students, faculty and staff, and the larger Lancaster community.

Fall 2024 • Thursdays at 11:30 a.m.

Common Hour enables the Franklin & Marshall College and Lancaster communities to gather for culturally and academically enriching events at midday on Thursdays during the academic year. This opportunity to engage in a campus-wide dialogue originates with Common Hour and then extends beyond the confines of that time into classrooms, house commons, dining halls and beyond. These are vital international, national, local and institutional issues that are relevant to all.

AUGUST 29

Difficult Conversations & Productive Dialogue
Alexander Marcus, Visiting Assistant Professor of Religious Studies & Judaic Studies at F&M; Rachel Singer, Director of the Klehr Center for Jewish Life at F&M

SEPTEMBER 5

Dutchirican: A Latinx History of Central Pennsylvania
Ivette Guzmán-Zavala, Professor of Spanish, Lebanon Valley College; John Hinshaw, Professor of History, Lebanon Valley College

SEPTEMBER 19

The Untold Story of an International Student: The Dos and the Don’ts to Enrich Our Campus Experiences
Christa Grant, Assistant Vice Chancellor, The State University of New York

OCTOBER 3

The Only Way Through Is Out
Suzette Mullen, Author and Founder of Your Story Finder (Book Coaching)

OCTOBER 17

Holocaust Memory: Contemporary Challenges
Raz Segal, Associate Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies & Endowed Professor in the Study of Modern Genocide, Stockton University

OCTOBER 31

Tipping Point State: The 2024 Election in Pennsylvania
Stephen Medvic, The Honorable and Mrs. John C. Kunkel Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at F&M; Berwood Yost, Director, Center for Opinion Research and Co-Director, Floyd Institute for Public Policy at F&M

NOVEMBER 7
2024-25 Muller Fellow: How to Citizen
Baratunde Thurston, Emmy-nominated Host, Producer, Writer, and Public Speaker

NOVEMBER 14

Beyond the Shores: A History of African Americans Abroad
Tamara Walker, Associate Professor of Africana Studies, Barnard College of Columbia University

NOVEMBER 21

Free Expression and the Liberal Arts
Tony Banout, Executive Director, University of Chicago Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression

DECEMBER 5

Unheard Voices: Fostering Inclusivity and Raising Awareness About the Deaf Community
Luis Ruben Rosado, Board Member of Keystone Hard of Hearing and Deaf Services; Rosaria Di Gregorio, Social Worker

ASL interpretation provided by Jim Schneck

Watch Online

Watch Our Latest Common Hour Events


Can't make it to Common Hour in person? We record many of our Common Hour events and make them available for you to watch whenever you're able.

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Explore Our Common Hour Archive


Curious to see Common Hour events from the past? Be sure to check out our archive of Common Hour videos going back to 2010.

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