When junior John Teter first applied to Christendom College, he was looking for a school that would help him become a better man and a stronger Catholic. Two years later, he has found that formation not only in the classroom and the College’s chapel, but in the unexpected opportunity to lead the College’s chamber orchestra as well.
Teter, originally from Cambridge, Maryland, knew about Christendom’s reputation for rigorous academics and vibrant Catholicism before applying. In fact, those two aspects were what led him to apply in the first place.
“I applied to Christendom simply because I knew this place would further my development as a man in Christ,” says Teter.
But even knowing Christendom’s reputation, he was not prepared for what he encountered when he arrived on campus. One of the first things that struck him was something remarkably simple: students and faculty actually went to Mass, even when they did not have to during the week.
“I was initially surprised at how many students and faculty actually show up to daily Mass without it being a feast day or mandatory event,” recalls Teter. “I thought that really spoke to the faith of the community.”
Since arriving, Teter has discovered that the College offers more than just the Catholic environment that first attracted him. Now a philosophy major in his junior year, he has also found opportunities to discover his talents, take initiative, and become a leader, on campus and off.
Music has become a particularly important part of that experience. Teter, an accomplished musician, has played brass instruments for nine years, including French horn, trumpet, and trombone, and arrived at Christendom hoping to continue performing in an ensemble. What he did not necessarily expect was the opportunity to help lead one.
During his freshman year, Teter and other students recognized that talented musicians on campus were looking for opportunities to play together beyond the College’s primary focus on liturgical music and choir. While the College had previously featured a student-run chamber orchestra, it had not been consistently active in a few years. Seeing this need, Teter and other students began meeting and practicing classical pieces together, reviving the chamber orchestra in the process.
“There are plenty of very talented musicians who did not have a way to hone those skills in a group such as ours,” says Teter. “We saw that a demand for a chamber orchestra existed my freshman year, and we simply started having meetings and working on classical pieces. The building process was organic and has grown since my freshman year. We had our first concert in the spring of 2025.”
The orchestra has continued to grow since that first concert, and Teter’s responsibilities have grown with it. This semester, he serves as president, organizing rehearsals and meetings, advertising events across campus, and recruiting new members. He also conducts the orchestra’s string ensembles.
“The orchestra has helped me to find my place in a leadership position at the College,” says Teter.
For Teter, Christendom’s size and community have helped make these opportunities possible. Campus talent shows and other musical events, often attended by much of the student body, have provided further encouragement for him and the rest of the chamber orchestra to continue to develop and share their musical abilities.
His opportunities to develop as a leader have not been limited to music, however. Teter has also become involved in local politics, volunteering during the 2024 and 2025 elections at early voting locations and going door-to-door in the College’s hometown of Front Royal, Virginia.
For Teter, those experiences have reinforced the importance of engaging with others and putting the principles he has encountered through his education into practice.
“Working during the elections of 2024 and 2025 has taught me that we need more young Catholics to lead a life of public virtue and engage in conversation with those we may disagree with,” Teter said. “Christendom equips students with the ability to know the truth, but it is our part to live the truth and support public policy aligned with Catholic teaching.”
Teter came to Christendom looking for a college that would help form him as a man in Christ. Five semesters later, he now sees what that formation demands of him: not simply developing his own talents, but learning how to put them at the service of others as well.
“Over these past five semesters, I have drastically improved my public speaking and leadership skills as a Catholic man who strives to lead with virtue and humility,” concluded Teter. “This change has come about because of the knowledge I have gained in my classes as well as my practice in leadership.”