A College for Christian Scientists
Principia offers a wide range of services and resources.
Student ID/Meal/Key Card
Food
Getting Around on Campus—Vehicles and Bicycles
Shopping
Campus Security
Mail and Copy Services at Howard Center
Telephone System
Information Center
Student Employment
Banking
Principia employs multi-purpose student ID cards. During NSO, you will be issued a student ID that will also serve as your meal card and your house key. It is important to keep this card safe at all times.
Dining Services provides all meals daily for students in the Howard Center Dining Room. You pay for your food with your Student ID/Room Key, which debits your meal allocation from a portion of your boarding fee for each semester. This card can also be used at the Piasa Pub.
The surrounding areas off campus also offer typical fast-food restaurants like McDonald’s, Fazoli’s, Quizno’s, White Castle, Steak & Shake, Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut. There are also more traditional restaurants including Applebee’s, Red Lobster, and St. Louis Bread Co/Panera Bread.
Getting Around on Campus—Vehicles and Bicycles
The campus design envisioned by architect Bernard Maybeck was an English village setting convenient to pedestrians with minimal intrusions by cars. Walking and bicycling are the best and easiest ways to get from place to place. Students and visitors are encouraged to park their cars and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere on foot. When you arrive on campus, the gate house attendant can provide a map and directions to parking lots. Cars should not be used to commute to classes, events, or activities.
The local communities offer Target, Kmart, and Walmart, as well as a mall that includes Sears, JC Penney and Macy’s. St. Louis has great shopping areas, including the Saint Louis Galleria, where you can find stores such as The Gap, Banana Republic, J. Crew, and Abercrombie & Fitch. A Nordstroms is located at the West County Center mall.
The Saint Louis Mills mall offers a wide range of outlet stores, as well as ice skating and mini-golf.
A gate guard at the Principia Gate House welcomes guests and visitors to campus and gives them directions. The Gate House is also a 24-hour emergency communications center for the campus. By calling the Gate House at extension 5111, you may obtain emergency help, contact a Christian Science nurse, report a fire, obtain a jump-start for your car, get help with car lockouts, or have a watchman dispatched to your location.
The campus security office staff registers vehicles and bicycles, maintains a lost and found, and provides for the safety and security of the Principia community. The staff also maintains the campus fire alarm and sprinkler systems, all building electronic locks, ID badges, and 24-hour watchman patrols to help support the activities on our 2,600-acre campus. The office is located in Howard Center and is open weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Mail and Copy Services at Howard Center
Mail Services handles all incoming and outgoing mail and packages for the campus and provides all regular postal services including stamps, and international mail. Both U.S.P.S. and UPS services are available. Each student has an individual mailbox. All incoming mail is placed in these mailboxes daily (except Sundays and holidays). Recipients of packages are notified by e-mail.
Copy Services provides copy, binding, laminating, and fax services. In addition, Design Services creates flyers, signs, and programs for campus events. Students may also use the self-serve fax machine located in the copy area in the School of Government building.
Principia College provides a campus extension and voicemail box for each student. Students are assigned an extension when they arrive on campus, and keep the same number from year to year as long as they are enrolled.
Principia’s toll-free number is not available for calling students on campus. Students may be reached through one of the following procedures:
To call the student’s extension directly, dial 618/374-xxxx (using the student’s extension as the last four digits). If the student is not available, the call will be answered by their voicemail.
To call the College switchboard, dial 618/374-2131. Switchboard is staffed 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
Long-Distance Calling
Students may use calling cards to make long-distance calls from campus phones, or use their own cell phones.
Cell Phones
AT&T provides coverage on campus. Although students find places to make outgoing calls using other carriers, coverage from other companies is poor. For more information, call the Telecomm Office at 618.374.5557.
The Information Center in the Concourse is the place to purchase tickets for on-campus events and productions. Info Center staff also help with general information, directions, or tickets to concerts, plays, and sporting events in St. Louis.
The purpose of the Student Employment program is to give students an opportunity to develop and practice good work habits, learn new skills, contribute to the community, and earn money. Approximately 60 percent of Principia students work on campus during the academic year. Most students work an average of 5 to 15 hours per week, though some occasionally petition to work 15-20 hours per week.
On-campus jobs range from office receptionists and fitness center attendants to sales associates and library assistants. All student employees are required to work 150 hours in our dining services or facilities departments during their first year at Principia.
Please visit www.principiacollege.edu/employinfo for more information. If you are interested in working on campus, please contact the student employment coordinator at ext. 5142 when you arrive.
You must be legally eligible to work in the United States per Department of Homeland Security guidelines. Proof of such eligibility must be provided no later than the first day of employment. Acceptable forms of identification are detailed on the I9 form, as linked here, and must be original documents: http://www.uscis.gov/files/form/i-9.pdf, (without limitation) a valid U.S. passport or a combination of a valid U. S. driver’s license and a valid Social Security card. A school ID card with a photograph or school record or report card may be presented in place of a driver’s license.
If you wish to open an account when you arrive on campus, a listing of local banks is provided in the orientation folder, which students receive upon arrival. Checks for up to $250 can be cashed free of charge in the College Bookstore. Principia also maintains a convenient, no-fee ATM in the Howard Center concourse for easy access to cash and balance inquiries.
