Principia College

08/05/2026

We're walking into the new semester with gratitude for what's been and excitement for what's next.

The Howard Center Dining Room has held countless shared meals, late-night study breaks, and moments that became memories. We're excited to share that we're modernizing Dining Services to better meet the needs of our students today and for years to come. This is more than construction. It's care, intention, and investment in the Principia experience.

Stay tuned as we build something worth the wait.

Learn more: https://www.principiagiving.org/what-to-support/capital-projects/howardcenter

07/29/2026

The sun has set on RA11. Our solar car team gave this year's American Solar Challenge everything they had — through power failures, late nights in the garage, and hard calls on the road. They pushed the car to its limit, and they're coming home with something bigger: a team ready to take on next year's race.

Huge thanks to the professors, supporters, alumni, and friends of Principia who braved the hot summer days to come out and cheer the team on. Your love and support kept the wheels turning.

We're grateful to all the collaborators who have worked on the solar car. It has taught countless Panthers leadership, problem solving, and team work.

We're excited for the next solar car, and the next generation of Panthers it inspires.

07/16/2026

And they're off! Today, our Solar Car team hit the road for Brainerd, MN for the first leg of the Innovators Educational Foundation races.
This isn't just a race. It's a hands-on proving ground for the kind of innovation Principia is built around. Our students design, build, and race a vehicle powered entirely by the sun applying problem-solving skills in real time, under real pressure, with real stakes. It's sustainability in action, and it's career readiness you can't replicate in a classroom.

Catch the team at the Electrek Formula Sun Grand Prix at Brainerd International Raceway, July 21–23.

From there, they'll take on the American Solar Car Challenge, racing cross-country from Brainerd, MN to Amarillo, TX — a true test of endurance, adaptability, and teamwork that mirrors what these students will carry into their careers after graduation.

We're proud to support students doing work that matters for their futures, and for a more sustainable world.

Alumni and friends along the route: we'd love for you to meet the team and cheer them on. Reach out to [email protected] for details.

Go Panthers! 💛🖤

07/01/2026

When our graduates cross the commencement stage, it's not good-bye. It's the beginning of their journey as a proud Principia alum.

Last week we welcomed more than 400 reunion guests back to campus, and what a week it was! Alumni walked familiar paths, took in all that's changed (and all that hasn't), and picked up right where they left off with old friends, swapping stories and making new memories along the way.

Many shared how proud they are of everything happening on campus right now, from new spaces to new opportunities for students, and how excited they are about where we are headed.

A huge thank you to the Classes of 1976 and 1977 for their generous gift in support of our Academic Centers, helping us attract and retain more students and graduate values-based leaders needed today and for tomorrow.

For our alumni, Reunion isn't just about reconnecting with classmates. It's a chance to stay connected, engaged and invested in our mission.

Years come and go, syllabuses evolve, but some things never change: the laughter of old friends, the pull of a place that shaped you, and the pride of calling Principia home. 💙 🐾

When our graduates cross the commencement stage, it's not good-bye....

06/12/2026

Thrilled to see our extraordinary women's tennis coach Shannon Carney featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch! From doubles with Gene Wilder to 16 seasons building champions at Principia, Coach Carney brings passion, joy, and a commitment to developing character in every student she mentors. Read the full story: https://www.stltoday.com/sports/column/benjamin-hochman/article_2bd9c4b9-d190-4dd2-849d-2bb38eaa39a6.html?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_St._Louis_Post-Dispatch&fbclid=IwY2xjawSX7PxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE5U1QxbXpZMWR6VnF3OHhUc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHljvnLVPFU6JT2qAmHOfy62_khaPj_vkZT2qHbUkCMO_REwjpCPMz26QAB3X_aem_55_Ntto1y5rBE5IhAwkpzw

05/14/2026

Hop on, 2026 graduate Philena Kuester is brining you along for Commencement Weekend. Check our stories to follow along, stay tapped in, and get links to livestream events.

05/13/2026

Commencement Week is here, and we couldn't be more proud.
Meet Francisco Alessio, Jonathan Keller, Taylor Brown, and Jackie Reyes, the Class of 2026 Marshals, elected by their peers to represent and lead their class. These four have shown up for the Class of 2026 in every sense of the word.
On Saturday, they'll lead their class forward one final time.

05/12/2026

No two journeys in the Class of 2026 have looked the same but together, they've built something beautiful. They've embraced change, pioneered it, used their voices for good, and shown up for each other every step of the way. They are, in every sense, Love in action.

This week, we celebrate them, their journeys, and everything they've become and everything still to come. Meet the four speakers elected by their classmates to take the stage at this year's Baccalaureate Ceremony. The voices of a class that has done it all.

Join us at the Angie W. Cox Auditorium on Friday, May 15 at 8 p.m.

Click the link below for a livestream link and the commencement weekend schedule: https://www.principiacollege.edu/student-life/arts-events/commencement

05/06/2026

Happy Earth Day! Last week, our students got an up-close look at where recyclables go, touring the Republic's Materials Recovery Facility and seeing the sorting and processing that happen behind the scenes.
As Professor Nick Johnson reminded us, recycling matters, but it's just one piece of a much bigger picture. True sustainability calls us to think deeper, live intentionally, and act with the whole Earth in mind.
We're proud to be a community that doesn't just talk about a better world. We go see it, study it, and work toward it.

05/06/2026

Fran Alessio's journey at Principia is proof that showing up fully in every room and on every field creates impact that goes far beyond what you can plan. Athlete. Leader. Entrepreneur. Laureate.
Congratulations, Fran. 💙💛