Students were recently informed that Gehner will be the only dorm open for the duration of this year’s spring break.
With the transition to semesters comes a switch from a two-week spring break to a one-week hiatus. A shorter break means it’s likely more people will want and need to stay on campus during this time.
In order to accommodate as many students as possible, the Office of Student Life has increased …

In recent weeks, College President Dr. Jonathan Palmer and the faculty have disagreed over a decision – and the process that led to it – to change when Principia’s Pre-Term Writing Seminar (PTWS) is taught.  In mid-November, Dr. Palmer moved the program from pre-fall orientation to the First Year Experience (FYE) program.
The course, designed for freshmen and students new to Principia, has been taught as part of a two-week orientation period preceding …

It’s no secret that the study and practice of Christian Science permeates every facet of life on this campus. The world’s largest Christian Science Organization (CSO) has a home at Principia, talks on almost every imaginable subject are sponsored in house living rooms and common areas across campus, and we designate time every day for community-oriented prayer.  According to a new Pilot Poll, 60 percent of students make an effort …

The Principia College Sustainability Center is busy, to say the least. Their commitments include a kick-off for the Sustainability Minor, work on their upcoming website, weekly meetings, a movie series, upcoming speakers, and a gazebo project.
 
Every Monday at 1:20 p.m. in room 207 of the Science Center, the Sustainability Center holds a meeting for anyone in the community interested in topics relating to sustainability.  Attendees discuss issues relating to sustainability and work to find solutions. …

Rose Mapendo
 
The Principia College Diversity Speaker Series featured a very special guest this fall. Rose Mapendo, survivor of the Congolese Holocaust and a current human rights advocate, told her story in a packed Wanamaker Hall on Thursday, October 20. Following are a few impressions from students who attended the talk:
“I loved meeting Rose because she was so genuine and it was clear that everything she said came from the heart. She was …

­­­The campus student body is divided over the switch to semesters, with 38 percent opposed and 32 percent in favor, according to a Pilot poll in late October and early November. The remainder of those surveyed had no opinion.

The adjustment has stirred much comment over the past 10 weeks, and interviews with students, faculty, staff and administrators indicate areas of concern and possible adjustment.
The implementation of semesters has been considered several times …

At the beginning of this semester, Campus Security sent out an email reminding students, faculty and staff that Principia operates under a set of rules which must be followed. One part clearly stated: “We have become aware of excessive speeding, so we will continue to use our radar gun to issue tickets in an attempt to keep the community safe. On-campus stop signs are to be treated the same as …

Principia Abroad Programs 2012 – 2014 
 
The Principia Pilot, in collaboration with the Principia Abroad and Field Programs Department, is proud to announce the upcoming abroad programs for the fall semester of 2012 through the summer of 2014.
If you want to skip right to our announcement feature, please go ahead. We understand this is exciting.
It’s fun to pore over the map and see the places you might travel to in the coming years. …

As China abroaders approach their fifth week in country, they prepare to embark on a week-long service project in the Xian Province where they will experience a region of China largely hidden from the Western world. In the past few weeks, these sixteen students have climbed the Great Wall, walked the grounds of the Forbidden City, sampled the exotic cuisine of local night markets, and taken respite in the serenity …

After spending two energizing weeks of creative preparation on campus,  we are now living a very different lifestyle in the Czech Republic. Every weekday morning, we take the tram or metro to our art studios, which are located in an old communist office building off the tourist-beaten path. We have been able to dig into large, mixed media drawings and poetry, hear incredible speakers discuss Czech art history and literature, …