Accepted Students
Welcome to the San Francisco Urban Program!
We are excited about your participation in the San Francisco Urban Program next semester, and want to provide you with some initial information about your experience in San Francisco.
First, it is very important that you read the Urban Program Student Handbook (Handbook%20PDF) before you come to San Francisco. The handbook contains detailed information about your semester on the Urban program as well as the city of San Francisco, and will be very helpful to you as you become acquainted with the city. We ask that each student read the handbook prior to their arrival in San Francisco.
Please also read the information provided below, which will answer some of your basic questions about your travel arrangements and the things you will need to bring with you as you prepare to come to San Francisco. For questions regarding what your semester will look like once you arrive in San Francisco, please refer to our frequently asked questions page.
If you have important questions that are not answered in the handbook or in the following information below, please contact us by e-mail (urban@westmont.edu) or call us at (415) 931-2460.
We look forward to seeing you in San Francisco!
Arrival & Room Selection
Please plan to arrive at the Urban house at 1:00pm on the day of your scheduled arrival. You will be able to check in any time between 1:00pm and 4:00pm, but try to arrive as close to 1:00pm as possible, since that is when room selection begins. If you arrive at the Clunie House prior to 1:00pm, you will be allowed to store your luggage in the garage until you move into your room.
Room selection will begin promptly at 1:00pm. A lottery is drawn prior to move-in day to determine the order in which students will select their rooms. While there will be no advantage to arriving earlier than 1:00pm on check-in day, you must be here by 1:00pm in order to retain your place on the lottery list. To get an idea of what the rooms are like in the Urban House, please see the Clunie House page for pictures or the Urban House layout for floor plans.
If you are not here by 1:00pm your name will be placed at the end of the list. Please note that if you already have someone you are planning to room with, the order of your room choice will be determined by the name of the person that appears first on the list.
Getting to San Francisco
By air:
If you plan to fly in to the San Francisco International Airport, you can catch a shuttle van run by numerous transit companies which will bring you directly to the program, usually for under $25 including tip. Walk to the upper DEPARTURE level at the front of the terminal, out the doors and across the street to where the vans are bringing people in. Approach one of the people coordinating shuttle rides (they often have a walkie-talkie) and tell them your destination is 301 Lyon Street (the cross street is Fell) near Golden Gate Park.
If you are flying into the Oakland International Airport, please contact Scott McClelland, Director of the Urban Program, at (800) 61-URBAN or smcclelland@westmont.edu, for instructions on taking a shuttle to the Urban house.
By car:
Click here for directions to the Urban house.
If you plan to arrive the night before, we recommend the following hotels, all of which are less than a mile or so from the house. We encourage you to make reservations well in advance:
Metro Hotel (319 Divisadero): (415) 861-5364, www.metrohotelsf.com
Stanyan Park Hotel (750 Stanyan at Waller): (415) 751-1000, www.stanyanpark.com
Geary Parkway Motel (4750 Geary Boulevard): (415) 752-4406
What to Bring
Furnishing your room:
Each room is equipped with a bed, desk, closet and drawers for each student. You are responsible for bringing your own bedding and any items you would like to decorate your room. We have three computers with Internet connections available for student use, but we encourage you to bring your own if you have one, since the demand can be high when papers are due.
Clothing:
Closet and dresser space is very limited. Please be thoughtful about what you bring—bring only clothes and other items that you know you will need. Some rooms have more space than others. Please keep in mind that San Francisco is much cooler than other parts of “sunny California”: though we do have warmer weather in September and October (70s), November through February will definitely be cool (40s-50s). A raincoat and umbrella are also great items to bring, as our rainy season is also during these months. When you plan what clothes to bring, you will also want to think about what kind of work environment you can expect at your internship, and whether you will need professional attire.
Please note: You may not bring refrigerators, toaster ovens, microwaves, hot plates or hot pots. These items will not be permitted in the residence rooms since you will have access to such appliances in the kitchen.
Other items you may want to bring:
Plug adapters: These allow you to plug three prong plugs into two prong wall outlets; important if you have a computer or other electrical items that require three-pronged outlets. A power strip with a circuit breaker is a good idea for protecting your computer.
Ethernet cord: Needed to connect your computer to our high-speed DSL internet jacks.
Cell phone: Rooms are not equipped with telephones, and personal calls are not permitted through our office except in case of an emergency. A personal cell phone is a vital link to the San Francisco Urban Program and your internship, as well as your parents and friends.
Information about San Francisco:
Start to get to know your new home! If you are interested, here are some websites about San Francisco.
SF Gate: News and information for the San Francisco Bay Area, presented by the San Francisco Chronicle. www.sfgate.com
Only in San Francisco: The official visitor’s guide to San Francisco. http://onlysf.sfvisitor.org/
Citysearch: A comprehensive guide to restaurants, hotels, shops, events and attractions in San Francisco. http://sanfrancisco.citysearch.com/
7x7 San Francisco: The latest on where to go and what to do in San Francisco. www.7x7sf.com
511.org: A guide to travel in the Bay Area. Use the Trip Planner tool to find out how to get from one place to another. www.511.org
Again, we look forward to your arrival! If you have any questions about your participation next semester, please call us at (800) 61-URBAN or (415) 931-2460, or send e-mail to urban@westmont.edu. Enjoy the rest of your semester or summer and we look forward to seeing you in San Francisco!
Westmont Urban Program - 301 Lyon St, San Francisco, CA 94117 - (415) 931-2460 - (800) 61-URBAN