Panther Week Calendar
New International Student Orientation (NISO)
Please check back frequently as these pages will continue to be updated in the coming weeks.
Saturday, August 9, 2025
9:00 am - 9:00 pm
New International students may arrive on campus and move into their temporary Orientation house. Students will move into their permanent houses on August 14.
Sunday, August 10, 2025
New International students continue to arrive on campus and move into their Orientation house.
10:15 am Depart for Church in Elsah Village
International Student Orientation Schedule will be posted soon!
Panther Week! New Student Arrival and Welcome
Thursday, August 14, 2025
New Student Move In Day!
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Campus Security Open
Location: Howard Center, Lower Level
Bring your orientation name tag to get your School ID and pick up your parking decals and bike registrations, which can be pre-purchased via Marketplace. More information on Campus Security here.
-
Academic Advising & Success Office, SG 264
-
Careers & Internships Office, SG 055
-
Student Life Offices, Main Level SG156 (Most Student Life team will be in Howard Center)
-
HR & Student Employment, Located on Terrace Level of School of Government SG 053
-
Financial Aid Office, Located near Main Entrance (Flagpole), School of Government SG 100
-
Registrar's Office, Located near Main Entrance (Flagpole), School of Government SG 118
-
Dining Services: Our Dining Services team will be available to answer questions about food services and the student meal plan.
-
College Store Account
-
Mail & Copy Services (Howard Center, lower level): Pick up any packages and learn where your student mailbox is located.
-
Student Life (Housing, Student Wellbeing & Care Resources, Wholeness Program, Spiritual Life Program)
-
Skills for Bridging the Gap Retreat - Information for First Years retreat August 15 - 17
1:30 - 4:00 pm
Room Set-Up & Target/Shopping Runs
New Students will have plenty of time to set up and settle into their rooms. Your RC and RA(s) will be roaming the halls to get to know you better and provide assistance if needed.
If you need anything extra, we will be providing van runs to Target and Walmart. These shopping runs leave at 1:30pm from the flagpole outside the School of Government (parking lot side of the building) and will return to campus by 4:00pm.
1:30 - 3:00 pm (All parents & families welcome)
Friday through Sunday, August 15 - 17, 2025
Skills for Bridging the Gap Retreat, Lebanon, MO
All new students will participate in an off-campus pre-orientation retreat called “Skills for Bridging the Gap.” Skills for Bridging the Gap is a program designed by Interfaith America. The curriculum has been implemented at both faith-based and secular colleges and universities across America to great success. It gives students skills to engage with people across deep divides, grounded in an understanding of each other’s core religious and spiritual worldviews.
During the retreat, students participate in a series of workshops designed to help them explore why they might want to build bridges with others; how to listen deeply; how to share stories about their values and perspectives; and how to navigate tension constructively and engage in difficult conversations.
Full Itinerary for Skills for Bridging the Gap Retreat can be found here.
Packing List for Bridging the Gap Retreat can be found here.
Monday, August 18, 2025
12:00 - 1:30pm: Lunch
Location: Dining Services
1:00 - 3:00 pm: Off-campus shopping run
3:00 - 5:00 pm: Off-campus shopping run
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Location: Wanamaker
ROTATION SESSIONS - WEDNESDAY
Students will break out into three groups and rotate the following workshop sessions:
- Intro to Library Services
- Academic Tech
-
Student Life: Intro to Campus Culture & Community Standards - This session is designed to introduce you to the values, expectations, and shared responsibilities that shape our college culture. You will also be introduced to the Foundations of Character & Community Seminar (C&C) which is a graduation requirement.
11:10 am - 12:00 pm: Rotation Session 1
12:00 - 1:00pm: Lunch
Location: Dining Services
1:00 - 1:50 pm: Rotation Session 2
2:00 - 2:50 pm: Rotation Session 3
3:00 - 4:00 pm Open time
4:00 - 6:00 pm: Athletics Practices
5:30 - 7:00 pm Dinner
Thursday, August 21, 2025
-
Student Life: All the Cool Stuff You Need to Know!
-
Careers & Internships
-
Advising and Academic Success Center (AASC)
11:10 am - 12:00 pm: Rotating Session 1
12:00 - 1:00 pm: LunchLocation: Dining Services
1:00 - 1:50 pm: Rotating Session 2
2:00 - 2:50 pm: Rotating Session 3
3:00 - 4:00 pm: Open time
Friday, August 22, 2025
Saturday, August 23, 2025
COX COTTAGE
Cox Cottage is a quiet refuge for rest and spiritual renewal for everyone in the Principia College community. We serve the campus as professionally trained Christian Science nurses who respond to emergency needs, provide a retreat for quiet metaphysical study, and minister with compassion and love when Christian Science healing is desired. Our partnership with Christian Science practitioners to support you in your focus on perfect health and well-being is invaluable and encouraged. We stand ready if you have a need to stay overnight or visit us for cleansing/bandaging needs in our care room.
Our purpose is to empower your progress in Christian Science healing. We support everyone with the practical comfort and spiritual atmosphere needed to maintain a joyful and limitless Principia experience. We are available 24/7 and will help you find the resources you need to support your individual treatment choice.
As the Christian Science nurse Scope of Services beautifully states, “Fundamental to the ministry of a Christian Science nurse is an active, prayerful confirmation of man’s innate spirituality and responsiveness to God’s harmonious government. This spiritual witnessing undergirds each aspect of the care a Christian Science nurse renders.”
ACADEMIC ADVISING & SUCCESS CENTER (AASC)
Academic advisors help you plan the path you’ll take to graduation and provide support along the way. To ensure that your coursework and other academic activities support your goals, they’ll help you:
- Link your interests, values, strengths, and goals with specific classes, both general education requirements and elective courses
- Decide on and declare majors and minors
- Apply for special programs, such as study abroad opportunities
- Locate and access useful resources
- Help to problem-solve
Academic Advising & Success Center can be found in the School of Government SG 264.
CAREERS & INTERNSHIPS CENTER
We can’t wait to meet you! Starting on day one our staff is available to help you discover and explore internships and career interests through a variety of programs, workshops, and one-on-one appointments. Here are some of the ways we can help you prepare for success beyond Principia:
- Career exploration
- Internship and job searching
- Limited financial support for many internships
- Post graduate job searching and networking
- Résumé writing
- Job interviewing assistance
- Researching and planning for graduate school
- We offer an internship class (CAR 201) and a career class (CAR 301) to help you get a jump start on your internship placements and career interests.
Visit our offices in the School of Government. We provide space for you to browse our library and apply online for jobs and internships, as well as phones for you to use during your job searches and interviews. You can also get in touch with us by email. For questions contact Carrie.Silverstock@principia.edu.
WRITING CENTER
The Writing Center supports students of all academic interests and levels by offering one-on-one sessions and group writing and research support (e.g. WISE write-in workspaces) as well for-credit courses in writing and academic literacy/reading. The Writing Center trains and hires writing/research tutors to guide their peers through the paper-writing process. The Principia writing proficiency requirement (three papers submitted and assessed over the course of a student’s time at Prin) is also overseen by the Center. The Writing Center is located on the 3rd floor of the Marshall Brooks Library. Please stop by! See our website for more, including information on signing up to work with writing tutors and contact information and resources.
MARSHALL BROOKS LIBRARY
The Marshall Brooks Library is open daily during the academic term, offering an extensive book collection, DVDs, streaming video titles, private study carrels, reservable rooms for group meetings, presentation suites, and a host of computers, laptops, a printer, maker space, podcasting studio, and a high-speed scanner. The library participates in the I-Share system with 93 other Illinois libraries, which provides our students access to over 38 million items via our daily weekday courier service. The library also offers access to over 87,000 electronic journals and over 700,000 e-books through its website.
The library building is located just off the Chapel Green and will be open during Panther Week, Monday through Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. The library staff looks forward to meeting you!
REGISTRAR’S OFFICE
The Registrar’s Office is the place to go regarding all academic records, including registration, transfer credit, AP credit, and a variety of other academic work. The office is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day, and the staff is happy to help you and answer any questions.
The Registrar’s Office is across from Admissions in School of Government.
STUDENT LIFE DEPARTMENT
Student Life is staffed with professionals who love and support this vibrant community!
This department oversees the campus housing program and a wide variety of programs designed to enrich the experience of students and all members of the College community. There are also programs in place to support students’ rights, welfare, and protection, as well as the prevention and resolution of harassment, sexual harassment/assault, bullying, and other grievances.
The Student Life Department is located on the Main level of School of Government.
STUDENT EMPLOYMENT
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 70 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. To ensure that our departments can operate efficiently during the academic term, all students new to working on campus are required to work 150 hours in Dining Services, Facilities, or the Biology and Natural Resources Department. These hours must be successfully completed within the first two semesters of employment. Students are, of course, paid for this work.
Interested in working on campus? Contact the student employment coordinator at ext. 5237 or visit principiacollege.edu/employ info for more information. The Student Employment Office is open weekdays from 9 am to 4 pm Visit the Student Employment Office in the Terrace level of School of Government.
CAMPUS SECURITY
For Emergencies, contact Campus Security at x5111 or 618.374.5111. The Gatehouse is staffed by Security Officers 24-hours a day at this number. To be alerted by text of any threat on campus, text the word YES to 68453. If you see or hear anything unusual on campus, please let someone know: an RC, Student Life, or Campus Security.
Bring your nametag to get School ID, pick up parking decals and bike registrations. These can be pre-purchased via Marketplace.
Vehicle decals for the 2024-2025 school year are available for purchase. The preferred method to purchase your vehicle decal, is to purchase them on the Principia Marketplace, using a credit card.
You can pick the decal up at the Campus Security Office once you have purchased the decal on Marketplace. When picking up the decal at the Campus Security Office, please bring your receipt and driver’s license with you.
All students need to purchase and affix a decal to your vehicle by September 1st, 2024, to access and park on campus.
If you have any questions, please contact Campus Security at 618-374-5470 or 618-374-5473.
To register vehicles and bicycles, or to get a new ID card, visit the Security Office in the lower level of Howard Center between 9am and 4pm, Monday-Friday.
If you have family or friends coming to visit, please send an email to watch.security@principia.edu. This will notify the gate house of the visitor so they can quickly get through the front gate
Our campus is surrounded by beautiful wooded land. We have to be aware that all types of animals inhabit the areas in and around campus. This awareness is especially important when walking or jogging on the trails and walkways throughout campus.
MAIL AND COPY CENTER (DOWNSTAIRS IN HOWARD CENTER)
Mail Services handles all incoming and outgoing mail and packages for the campus and provides limited USPS and UPS services. Incoming mail is delivered to the mailboxes daily (except Sundays and holidays). Recipients of packages or items that cannot fit into mailboxes are notified by email.
Students should have all incoming mail and packages addressed this way:
Your Name
#_ _ _
One Maybeck Place
Elsah, IL 62028
Note: #_ _ _ is your assigned mail box number.
Copy Services provides print, binding, laminating, and fax services. In addition, Design Services creates flyers, signs, and programs for campus events.
Our front window is open during these hours during the school year (unless posted otherwise):
Mon–Fri: 10 a.m.–4:15 p.m. ** Closed for Quiet Time **
Sat: 1–3 p.m. (package pickup only)
Please refer to our Prinweb pages for available services, package pickup and delivery information, and office contacts.
CELL PHONE SERVICE
AT&T provides coverage on campus. Although students find places to make outgoing calls using other carriers, coverage from other companies is poor. To learn about AT&T’s services and discounts for Principia College students, visit principiacollege.edu/att.
To call the College switchboard, dial 618.374.2131. The switchboard is staffed
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
An online directory for faculty, staff, and students can be found at:
TECHNOLOGY SERVICES
The Information Technology (IT) Department provides support for your technical needs while you’re attending Principia College. Help Desk staff members are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Services include help with the use of classroom technologies, connecting your computer or phone to our network, connecting to and using the multifunction printers on campus, getting Principia email, and getting free Microsoft Office 365 software. They can also help you get discounts on educational software and computer purchases. The department is located in Old Watson Room 131, or call ext. 5600 or 618.374.5600. If you have a question, please stop by and let them help.
For more details, visit principiacollege.edu/computers.