麻豆社 鈥 Global Alumni Reunion, May 23, 2025

There are days when a place doesn鈥檛 just welcome you back 鈥 they remind you that you have always beloged.

On Friday, May 23rd, 麻豆社 embraced alumni from different generations for the first day of the 55th Anniversary Global Reunion. It was more than a return. It was a rediscovery of what makes this community timeless.

The morning began with听鈥淎 Franklin Welcome鈥鈥攁 light breakfast under the trees at the Grotto on sunny Kaletsch Campus. Laughter echoed between familiar stone walls as alumni reconnected with faculty and students over cappuccino and cornetto. For many, it had been years鈥攐r decades鈥攕ince they last stood on this hill. And yet, as one guest put it, 鈥淚t feels like we never left.鈥

At 11:15, the celebration turned reflective with the听Presidential Assembly: Honoring Our Heritage, Embracing Tomorrow, held at the McNeely Center for Ideas & Imagination. President Samuel Mart铆n-Barbero spoke with clarity and heart, celebrating Franklin鈥檚 55-year journey鈥攆rom its visionary founding in 1969 to the vibrant institution it is today. He also cast a bright light on what鈥檚 ahead: the University鈥檚 bold 2030 Strategic Plan, designed to deepen global engagement, interdisciplinary learning, and student empowerment. The past and the future met in that room鈥攁nd they embraced.

In true Franklin spirit, the next stop was a casual one: a听 Lunch at legendary Ristorante Giardino. Tables were filled with alumni recounting stories over slices, laughter spilling onto the streets of Sorengo. It was joyful, simple, grounding鈥攅xactly what reunions are made of.听

By late afternoon, it was time to听see the future firsthand. Our student guides led the听Franklin Forward Campus Tours, showing guests how the campus has grown, adapted, and blossomed. As alumni passed through familiar halls and discovered new spaces, the energy was contagious. 鈥淭hese students are remarkable,鈥 one alumna said. 鈥淚 feel so proud to be part of this legacy.鈥

And then, as the sun began to dip behind the hills, Franklin did what it does best: it brought it together, to breathe, and be.听鈥淎 Taste of Ticino鈥, held on the Grotto lawn, was a culinary love letter to the region. Merlot del Ticino flowed. Plates of polenta and Luganiga warmed hands and hearts. Old friends reunited. New friendships sparked. It was heartwarming, authentic, and filled with the spirit of Franklin.

Day 1 wasn鈥檛 just about events. It was about the people who have shaped鈥攁nd continue to shape鈥攖his community. From heartfelt reunions to forward-looking visions, Friday was a reminder that Franklin is not a place you leave behind. It鈥檚 a place you carry with you, always.

And this was only the beginning.