Let's Be Friends! How to Connect With Other College Students (Opens in new tab/window)

Speaker: Marisa Franco Students are lonelier now than they ever have been. These trends are concerning because research finds that belonging isn’t just “nice to have” – it is essential for mental health, academic success, and retention. Some students think that friendship should happen organically (you shouldn’t have to try) , others think that reaching out to people makes you “cringe,” and others think that it is cool to seem aloof. As a college professor, Dr. Marisa Franco understands misconceptions students face about friendship. Drawing from years of feedback from her popular course on how to make friends and her NYT best-selling book, “Platonic,” in this talk, Dr. Franco helps students identify and overcome the beliefs that hinder their friendships. Dr. Marisa G. Franco is a psychologist, professor at the University of Maryland, and New York Times bestselling author of “Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make and Keep Friends.” A TED speaker whose research on human connection was funded by the National Institutes of Health, she has shared her expertise with major organizations including Cisco, the Department of State, and universities nationwide, and has been featured in outlets such as NPR, Good Morning America, The New York Times, and The Telegraph. In her upcoming lecture, Dr. Franco translates cutting-edge attachment science into practical tools to help students build meaningful relationships and find belonging. This lecture recording can be found on the Available Recordings page approximately two business days after the event and will remain accessible for three weeks. Co-Sponsors: Office of Student Affairs, Learning Communities, Honors Program, Department of Residence, Committee on Lectures (funded by Student Government)