To help you prepare for Orientation and your first semester at Christendom, please explore the resources below.

Get Ready for Orientation Weekend:

• Orientation Guide: Your complete guide to Orientation weekend, including detailed schedules, check-in procedures, and what to expect. The Orientation Guide will also include a helpful list of recommended items to pack for Orientation and your move to campus.
• Campus Map: Navigate your way around campus! Find academic buildings, residence halls, dining facilities, and more.
• Front Royal Lodging/Restaurants: Information for families and students needing local accommodation or dining options before or after Orientation.

Academic Preparation:

• Academic Calendar: View important dates for the 2026-27 academic year, including semester start & end, breaks, and registration periods.
• Academic Bulletin: Explore course descriptions, degree requirements, academic policies, and faculty information.
• Christendom Booklist: Find the required textbooks and materials for your fall courses.
• C. S. Lewis “Learning in War-Time”: Required reading to prepare for academic orientation. Please see the email from Dr. Tracy for instructions on accessing this resource.
• St. Basil “On Reading Greek Literature”: Required reading to prepare for English 101.
• Academic Resources: Explore resources available from our Academic Success office for a little help on your road to greatness!

Campus Life & Services:

• St. Lawrence Commons Dining Services: Learn about meal cycles and dining hours or options for dietary accommodations.
• Residence Halls & Housing: Information about the residence halls, along with virtual tours of each side of campus.
• Student Activities & Clubs: Discover the wide range of clubs, organizations, and activities available to get involved in campus life.
• Christendom Athletics: Information about our athletic programs, teams, and ways to support the Christendom Crusaders!
• Accommodation Services: Resources and contact information for students needing academic, dietary, or housing accommodations.

Important Information & Policies:

• 2026–27 Student Handbook: Your comprehensive guide to College policies, student conduct, and campus resources.
• Health and Wellness: Information on campus health resources and the sexual misconduct policy.
• Campus Safety & Security: Learn about campus safety, emergency notifications, and security services.

For new students and their families:

• 2026 New Student Welcome Week Schedule
• 2026 Parent & Family Welcome Week Schedule

For returning students:

• 2026 Master Welcome Week Schedule
• 2026 Returning Student Welcome Week Schedule

The following required and optional forms will be accessible via your MyChristendom account by the end of May. All incoming students are required to complete their Orientation Checklist (found within your MyChristendom account), which includes these resources and forms, by Thursday, June 25.

REQUIRED FORMS

• Health and Physical Exam Form
• Registration Acknowledgment
• Activity & Athletics Waiver
• Dietary Restrictions Waiver
• Health Insurance Form
• Sexual Misconduct Policy Review
• Billing Information Form
• Vehicle Registration Form
• Move-In Day Survey

OPTIONAL FORMS

• Roommate Questionnaire: Share your preferences to help us with roommate matching.
• Immunization Waiver: Apply for an exemption from required immunizations.
• Off-Campus Request: Request permission to live off campus (eligibility restrictions may apply).
• Transportation Request Form: Register for transportation to campus from Dulles International Airport or Vienna Metro Station.

Christendom Beginnings is a weekly message loaded with important information to prepare you for life at Christendom College. Each email (sent to your @christendom.edu email account) will contain essential information about pre-campus requirements, orientation, and campus life. It will also remind you of important dates and deadlines, provide you with links to more information, and familiarize you with faculty, staff, and life on campus. Web versions of each email will be available on this page for reference as they come.

• Your Journey Begins! (5/6/26)
• Activating Your Christendom Email (5/8/26)
• Completing Your Health Forms (5/13/26)
• Introduction to Residence Life & Housing (6/1/26)
• New Student Orientation Guide (6/8/26)
• Summer Reading for English 101 (6/12/26)
• Get Involved on Campus: Student Activities (6/19/26)
• Student Support Services (6/24/26)
• Athletics (6/29/26)
• Classical and Early Christian Studies Course Offerings (7/2/26)
• Choosing Mathematics and Science Courses (7/7/26)
• Orientation Schedule (7/13/26)
• Academic Advising (7/17/26)
• Class Registration (7/20/26)
• Billing Management (7/27/26)
• Student Employment (7/31/26)
• Freshman Success Workshop (8/3/26)
• Introduction to the Library (8/7/26)
• Chaplaincy | Healthy Relationships on Campus (8/10/26)

Order your Christendom gear before you arrive!

• Shop Christendom Gifts
• Shop Christendom Sportswear

Housing and Residence Halls

Am I expected to arrive to campus at a certain time on Move-In Day?

What are the amenities in my room? 

• Residence hall rooms are well-sized, but the space is limited! Don’t over pack and consult with your roommate to see if you can share some items (floor lamps, refrigerators, etc.) to conserve space.
• There is no on-campus storage.

How will I get a key for my residence hall and room? 

All residence halls are accessed using your Student ID (which also serves as your meal card and library card). When you check in at the John Paul the Great Student Center upon your arrival, you will receive your Student ID and room key. Roommates will need to discuss expectations for locking the room to avoid accidentally locking each other out.

How & when will I find out who my roommate is and which residence hall I will be living in? 

This information will be emailed to you two weeks prior to the start of the semester. If you have questions about your housing assignment, we ask that you contact Residence Life after the first week of August via email at residencelife@christendom.edu.

What if I don’t get along with my roommate or want to change housing assignments? 

We are committed to creating a positive housing experience for all of our students. We understand that it can be difficult to adjust to a new person as a roommate. First, we ask you to wait until you physically meet the person before making any judgment – as the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover (or as the new saying goes, don’t judge someone by their social media accounts). If you need assistance in this area, our Resident Directors are there to help you with any housing or roommate questions or concerns you have. They have strategies for facilitating charitable discussions between you and your roommate and can help you with most concerns regarding this situation. You may consult them at any time, and also expect that they will be around the halls in order to get to know you and see how you and your roommate are doing. Should you need a complete change in housing, you will need to consult the Residence Directors and the Director of Residence Life, and moves may be possible only after the first two weeks of the academic year.

Christendom College and the Town of Front Royal

How far is Christendom College from town, and what if I need to get to town for something? 

Christendom College is about 4 miles from the center of Front Royal, Virginia. We encourage you to explore the area via the web prior to your arrival. Click here for the local Chamber of Commerce website. The College offers multiple town runs each week. The College will have a van that stops at various places like the grocery store, local banks, Walmart, etc., where students can stop and pick up things that they need. Once you arrive on campus, you will see signs for the town runs and corresponding departure times and locations.

How do I get to the doctor’s office? 

Students are highly encouraged to locate local personal health practitioners and establish a relationship with them prior to their arrival on campus. If a situation occurs where a student needs to go to the doctor, the student is expected to arrange transportation via a local taxi or by asking a friend who has a car to take them. The College does not provide transportation to personal appointments. In the case of an emergency, an ambulance will be called.

General Student Life Questions

What is the Student Handbook, and how do I view it before I come to Christendom College? 

The Student Handbook conveys College policies, provisos, and important College information to the student. Each student should thoroughly read the Student Handbook so they know and understand College policies.

When my parents bring me to campus, how long do they have to stay, or how long are they allowed to stay? 

During the Fall Orientation Weekend, there are parent orientation sessions and a faculty, staff, and parent reception. These events are just for parents. The parent orientation sessions are geared toward helping parents understand the College’s academics, culture, and resources. The faculty, staff, and parent reception allows the parents to meet the faculty and staff of Christendom College. All other orientation sessions are for new students only. While parents are free to stay locally over the weekend, parents should know that the students will be very busy all day and all evening with orientation events and settling in. The first few days of orientation are crucial for new students as they get to know their classmates and fellow College colleagues. The College highly encourages all new students to be fully engaged in the Orientation events of the weekend. Families are expected not to be on campus following 11:30 a.m. Mass on Saturday.

Your Student ID and Student Email

What about my student ID number and my email address?

Your student ID number can be found on your MyChristendom account, listed on the Contact Card screen. Each student will be assigned a Christendom email address, which will aid in collegiate communications as well as provide each student with College email capabilities. You will receive an email with your new Christendom email address (usually firstname.lastname@christendom.edu) and password in an email sent to your current personal email address no later than the first week of June. You will need this login or password to receive your christendom.edu email. After this instruction email has been sent, all official College emails will be sent to your Christendom email account rather than your personal account.

Academics

When will I know my class schedule? 

During the month of July, new students will be contacted by the registrar with details about how to register online for classes for the Fall semester.

What about a book list, and how do I purchase my books? 

The online booklist is a system for viewing all required and recommended books. On the booklist, you will be able to select a course, choose the professor teaching the course, and then see both the required and recommended books for that course. You will not be able to start ordering books until you receive the Registrar’s email in mid-July. By then, the updated booklist will be made available. You can then purchase those books on Amazon or through another seller. Please note that there is no place on campus to purchase textbooks. When buying from other sellers, students should search for books using the ISBN indicated on the booklist page. Students are responsible for obtaining all required books by the first day of class, and they are strongly encouraged to have the books delivered to their homes before coming to campus in the fall. Please send questions and comments to bookstore@christendom.edu.