Resources for Your Sophomore
Looking Ahead to Fall 2024
F&M Votes and Civic Engagement
Fall 2024 is going to be a lively time on campus in part because the United States will be having a presidential election! The general election takes place on Nov. 5, 2024, and in the weeks leading up to it, F&M's community will have plenty of opportunities for learning with and from each other and engaging in constructive dialogue on relevant topics.
The election also makes this the perfect semester for students to get involved with F&M Votes, a nonpartisan coalition of F&M students, faculty and professional staff engaged in voter registration, education and civic engagement activities. The work of registering F&M voters and promoting each election takes the work of dozens of students, faculty and professional staff. F&M Votes volunteers staff registration tables, handle in-class registrations, process paperwork, compile statistics and participate in efforts to "get out the vote.”
Sophomore Sojourn
Specifically designed for this juncture of your student's F&M experience, the Sophomore Sojourn offers sophomores a unique opportunity to retreat from campus to reflect on, ideate about and clarify your path through and beyond F&M. This one-night retreat occurs off-campus during the fall break and is an excellent way to develop greater self-awareness through interesting sessions and build deep connections with each other and a supportive community of F&M alumni, faculty and staff facilitators.
The cost is FREE, but applications are required and the retreat will be limited to the first 100 sophomores who complete their application. The application will be released once the semester begins, so tell your student to stay tuned!
Fun Events on the Fall Calendar
The Fall calendar is already filling up with fun events for the whole campus. Here are a few highlights to look forward to:
- All Campus Party (Aug. 27)
- Involvement Fair (Aug. 30)
- Welcome Back Bagel Breakfast at your College House (first week of September)
- First Friday - Downtown Lancaster (Sept. 6)
- One World Festival (Sept. 8)
- City of Lancaster Music Friday (Sept. 13)
- Campus Inclusion Week (Sept. 15-20)
- Fall Fest (Sept. 21)
- True Blue Weekend (Oct. 4-6)
- F&M Football in Shadek Stadium: Battle for the Conestoga Wagon (Oct. 5)
Living on Campus
Housing
Our four-year residency requirement means students are required to live in F&M-owned or -approved housing for all four years.
Housing applications for returning students are available in February each year. Your sophomore student has the option to continue living in their College House. They can also choose to apply for a House Adivser (HA) position or live in one of our two residence halls on campus: Thomas Hall and Schnader Hall.
Students who don't receive housing in one of these options participate in the annual room selection proccess, the Housing Lottery. Housing Lottery information sessions are held in March and April. All students participating in the lottery are encouraged to attend a session in any College House.
Students who did not select housing through the Housing Lottery will receive a housing assignment from the Housing Office in the weeks prior to the start of the fall semester.
Contact Housing
If you need to get in touch with your student’s College House, you can reach out to the assigned faculty mentor (don) and administrative facilitator (dean). If you have
questions about F&M housing in general, you can explore our FAQ to learn more or reach out to our housing team at housing@fandm.edu for additional help.
Meal Plans
Sophomores are required to purchase a meal plan unless they are commuting (though students can of course purchase a meal plan if they are!). Meal plan pricing is automatically folded into your student's tuition details.
Academics and More
Academic Advising
Many second-year students focus on exploring several academic and life decisions. Your student’s faculty adviser will support them in making these long-term decisions about major(s)/minor(s) declarations, study abroad and their desired levels of integration, leadership and involvement in the larger F&M community, and much more.
Conversations your sophomore should be having with their faculty adviser:
- What are you thinking you want to major in? Why is this subject compelling to you? Where do you think that studying it might lead you?
- Is there more than one subject that draws your attention for a potential major? If so, how might these subjects work together as a course of study going forward?
- If you do not know what you would like to major in, think of the courses you have taken: what did you like most? Which skills did you most enjoy practicing?
- Do you want to study abroad? Is there a language you wish to learn?
- Is there a field of study you want to do special research in? A professor with whom you’d particularly like to work?
- What kinds of programs/clubs/leadership opportunities would you want to create for yourself at the College if you could?
- What are you most excited to do during your next two years?
Career and Professional Development
A milestone in your student’s sophomore year is their major declaration. Our career center will guide them through every step of this important decision. Our signature programs for your sophomore include:
- An academic fair where students can learn more about programs and meet faculty from academic departments on campus
- “Not a Major Decision” individual and group sessions to support students in the period leading up to and following major declaration
- “Living Beyond F&M Series” consisting of sessions on financial literacy, public speaking, the etiquette of the business meal, and more
- F&M’s True Blue Network, a career network platform exclusive to our community
Your Student’s Career Adviser
If they haven’t done so already, encourage your student to reach out to their career adviser. Your student’s primary career adviser is assigned to them based on their College House. Their adviser will work with them one-on-one to help build a trajectory of success.
June 20, 2024 Franklin & Marshall’s distinctive animal behavior program helped Sara Dollen ’23 land a job doing what she loves just weeks after graduating. “I chose F&M in part for the unique animal behavior degree that I felt would prepare me well for any animal-related work,” Dollen said. June 12, 2024 Samantha “Sammi” Perry ’23 shares how F&M prepared her both academically and socially to thrive in her pursuit of a master’s degree in political communications. “I am thrilled to be doing so well in the master’s program due to my F&M experience, but also to my perseverance,” she said. June 28, 2024 Meet Nick Tewell '23, a biology major and Spanish minor at F&M who is pursuing his doctor of medicine degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. "I have found myself exactly where I envisioned myself when I began my first year at F&M," Tewell said.Success Beyond F&M: Animal Behavior Major Leads ’23 Grad to Enriching Career
Success Beyond F&M: ‘Within One Month, I Knew I Was Going to Be Successful’
Success Beyond F&M: ‘F&M More Than Prepared Me for the Next Steps in My Career’
Have They Considered...
Campus Employment?
Internships?
OSPGD will help your student discover and land these positions, guiding them through
the internship search, application, and interview processes, and facilitating connections
with F&M alumni, parents and friends of the College for potential opportunities.
Research?
Off-Campus Study?
Do you have any questions? We're happy to help. Feel free to reach out to us at families@fandm.edu or visit our contact page.Get in Touch With F&M