On Saturday 16th May, the LAC in Lugano hosted the final act of the academic course for 81 students from Franklin SwitzerlandThe graduation ceremony drew an international audience to the shores of Lake Ceresio, including faculty, families, students, and prominent figures from the Sorengo-based university, gathered to formalize the young people's transition to the professional world or higher education.
Founded in 1969, Franklin Switzerland is the only liberal arts university in Switzerland with dual Swiss and US accreditation. This characteristic has always shaped the composition and orientation of its student community.
Innovation and evolution: institutional discourses
The event was opened by the institution's leadership. Interim President David M. Mills and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Paul C. Lowerre (an alumnus of the Class of 1977) reviewed the university's activities, focusing on the institution's ability to adapt over the decades. Their remarks emphasized the importance of an educational model based on mobility, intercultural dialogue, and the constant updating of academic programs in response to global changes.
From the Class of 2007 to Diplomacy: Ambassador Al Qarainees's Speech
The guest of honor at the ceremony, who was awarded an honorary degree, was His Excellency Ahmed Ebrahim Al Qarainees, current Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Federal Republic of Germany. Al Qarainees, who received his degree from Franklin in 2007, focused his address on the ethic of responsibility that should guide new graduates.
The diplomat urged the class of 2026 not to view the years spent in Sorengo as a mere archive of knowledge, but rather as an interpretative lens for decoding contemporary geopolitical and social complexities. During his speech, Al Qarainees offered a reflection on the value of resilience:
“Patience and steadfastness in times of uncertainty are not deviations from the established path, but rather building blocks of personal growth, necessary for strengthening judgment and character.”
The Ambassador emphasized humility and intellectual curiosity as a fundamental requirement for exercising informed leadership, anchored in firm ethical principles in the face of future opportunities.
Memory and Philanthropy: The Tim Darrin Scholarship Fund is Born
A moment of great institutional relevance was the posthumous awarding of theUrsula Gentile Lowerre Outstanding Service Award to Tim Darrin, a historic figure of the university, who graduated in 1974 and later a member of the Board of Trustees, who passed away in 2025. The award was presented to his brother, Drake Darrin.
To honor the memory of the philanthropist and his support of international education, the KHR McNeely Family Foundation and the Margaret A. Darrin Charitable Trust have announced the creation of the Tim Darrin '74 Scholarship FundThe scholarship fund will begin with an initial endowment of $500.000 (resulting from two separate gifts of $250.000 each) and has a financial goal of reaching $1 million. All of the funds will be used to facilitate access to Franklin's academic programs for deserving future students.
Academic Awards and Conclusions
The ceremony also celebrated the faculty with the appointment of Clarice Zdanski, professor of Art and Art History, as Professor Emerita, who has reached retirement age after a long career dedicated to teaching and research on the Sorengo campus.
After the awarding of diplomas and the traditional tossing of the caps, the day concluded in the LAC's interior spaces with a meeting between the new graduates, the faculty, and the alumni community, marking the conclusion of the 2026 academic year for the Ticino institute.
