This year’s event will take place on Saturday, April 6, 2024.
The liberal arts education offered at Christendom is not for the faint of heart, but for those who aspire to greatness. The Padre Pio Full-Tuition Scholarship Competition gives the very best students the opportunity to receive an authentic, time-tested, Catholic liberal arts education for only the cost of room, board, and fees. This year, three full-tuition scholarships will be awarded to academically excellent students who demonstrate the ability to contribute to the college community, both within the classroom and in broader campus life. Candidates are judged based on their performance in the on-campus interview and essay contest. Winners are expected to maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout their 4 years at Christendom, assist at various admissions and academic events on campus, and at all times be beyond reproach in their personal conduct, during their time as students.
Competition Overview
- During the competition, each participant will interview with a scholarship committee panel and will write an essay based on a prompt given on the competition day.
- Parents of competition participants are invited and strongly encouraged to attend the competition. During the day, various presentations and activities will take place for the benefit of the parents. Please note that due to space limitations only one parent (or family member) can accompany each participant.
- 3 full-tuition scholarships will be awarded. This is a four year renewable academic scholarship.
- 5 $5,000 runners-up scholarships will be awarded. This is a four year renewable academic scholarship.
- All participants who do not receive a full tuition scholarship or runners-up scholarship will be given a $1,000 competitor scholarship. This is a four year renewable academic scholarship.
Requirements for Applying
- The application for the competition will open in January. All the details for applying for the Padre Pio Competition will be posted later this the fall semester. In the meantime, here are requirements to be eligible to apply.
- New incoming freshmen must have SAT scores of 1280 or higher, ACT scores of 27 or higher, or CLT scores of 84 or higher to participate in the scholarship competition.
- Students must have already been accepted at Christendom for Fall 2024 as first-time freshmen and must have achieved qualifying scores (listed above) prior to applying for the competition. (Christendom super-scores SATs, ACTs, and CLTs, so we take the best score in each section and add them together to make the highest score.)
- In order to apply, students must have already submitted their refundable $500 deposit for Fall 2024
- Students must be physically present on April 6 in order to participate in the competition. Skype and Zoom interviews will NOT be available and exceptions will not be offered.
FAQ's
What should I wear for the competition? Students should wear professional attire. Dresses, skirts, dress slacks, blouses, sweaters for women and suits, sports jackets with dress pants and ties (or bowtie), for men.
Will it be possible for me to stay overnight in the residence halls before or after the competition? Due to the volume of visitors we will be receiving, we are not able to accommodate overnight stays in our residence halls on either Friday or Saturday night of the competition weekend. For a list of local hotels, please see the “Traveling to Christendom” tab below. Though overnight visits are not available on Friday or Saturday, participants are welcome to schedule a day visit on Thursday or Friday to experience the campus on a regular academic day. Visits on that Thursday and Friday are limited and first priority will be given to participants who have not been to campus before. To schedule a Thursday or Friday, please fill out the visit request form at least two weeks in advance here: https://www.christendom.edu/admissions/visit-request-form/.
Can family members attend? Yes! During the competition, there will be informational sessions specifically for parents, as well as the opportunity to tour the campus and meet and speak with staff members. Please note, however, that due to limited space, participants are limited to one accompanying guest. Over the weekend, transportation and on-campus housing will not be available for those traveling, which is another reason why a parent or family member is encouraged to accompany each competitor traveling long distances.
How should I prepare for the interview portion of the competition? While specific questions will not be posted beforehand, be prepared to speak to your interests in Christendom’s liberal arts program, your post-college aspirations, and books and experiences that have had a formative influence on you. Each competitor will have 15-20 minutes with a scholarship panel made up of faculty and/or staff. In anticipation of this, you are encouraged to practice interviewing with teachers, parents, or friends.
How are the winners selected? Each student is evaluated based on his performance both in the interview and in the essay. The Scholarship Committee is looking for such qualities as the ability to articulate ideas and principles clearly and effectively in both a written and verbal format, strong leadership potential, a commitment to pursuing excellence, a passion for the Catholic intellectual tradition, and a desire for the lived Catholic culture Christendom strives to offer on its campus.
If I can’t make it to campus for the event, could I hold a Skype or Zoom interview instead? All participants must be physically present on that day in order to compete for the scholarship. Therefore, virtual interviews will not be available. Sorry! (But if you attend the competition, even if you are not selected as a full-tuition winner, you will receive a $1,000 scholarship that is renewable for four years, so it IS worth trying to attend!)
When will I hear back about the results? We attempt to announce the results of the competition within two weeks. If you are selected as a winner you will only have 24 hours from the time you are notified to accept or turn down the full-tuition scholarship. If a full-tuition recipient turns down the Padre Pio Scholarship, the scholarship will be offered to the next student according to ranking.
If I win the full-tuition scholarship will it be added to my current scholarship offer? No, the full-tuition scholarship would cover the entire cost of tuition, renewable for four years, and could not be stacked with another financial aid or scholarship offer. Any previous offers would be replaced by the Padre Pio Full-Tuition Scholarship. (Please note that academic scholarships and financial aid only cover up to the full cost of tuition and do not provide assistance for room & board costs or required student fees).
If I win one of the runners-up $5,000 scholarships will it be added to my current scholarship offer? Yes, this would be added to your current scholarship offer and incorporated into your financial aid/scholarship package. (Please note that academic scholarships and financial aid only cover up to the full cost of tuition and not do not provide assistance for room & board costs or required student fees. If your existing scholarship/financial aid offer already covers 100% of tuition, the runner-up scholarship would be applied against any institutional loans in the original offer).
Traveling to Christendom
By Plane: Christendom is less than one hour from Dulles International Airport.
By Car: Christendom is convenient to I-81 and I-66. From I-66: Take Exit 6. Follow 522 South through Front Royal. (Take a left at the traffic light by the Verizon Wireless Store, and another left at the next light (to stay on 522). At the next light, take a left onto 6th Street. After approximately 2 miles, take a left onto Shenandoah Shores Road. After 1.5 miles, Christendom will be on the left.
LODGING AND AREA ATTRACTIONS
Mention you’re visiting Christendom College when you make reservations at the hotels below and receive a discount. Visit Discover Front Royal for a complete list of lodging and area attractions.
| Super 8 Motel (10% discount) 800.800.8000 | Fairfield Inn & Suites (10% discount) 540.465.1600 |
| Holiday Inn & Suites (15% discount) 540.631.3050 | Hampton Inn (15% discount) 540.635.1882 |
540.749.0033 | |
| There are other hotels/motels in the area as well – some less expensive – such as The Quality Inn, Cool Harbor Hotel, and Budget Inn. Christendom College does not officially endorse any hotel, but makes these selections available as a courtesy to visitors. | |
Visitors can choose from a wide variety of facilities and activities: fine restaurants, historic Bed & Breakfasts, Civil War battlefields, countless hiking trails, numerous golf courses, and tours of Skyline Drive and Skyline Caverns. We strongly recommend a visit to the Front Royal Chamber of Commerce (on Main and Chester Streets, call 540-635-3185) which stocks hundreds of brochures on area attractions. Visit Discover Front Royal for more information.
Schedule for 2023 Competition
2023 Padre Pio Competition Schedules for Competitors and Parents
Competitor Schedule
| 12:15-12:50 P.M. | Check-in Main Floor – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 1:00-1:25 P.M. | Welcome and Opening Remarks Admissions Director Sam Phillips and College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 1:35-2:25 P.M. | Essay Competition |
| 2:35-5:00 P.M. | Scholarship Interviews in Session |
| 3:30-4:10 P.M | Career Development and Alumni Success VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden Lower Level –St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 4:10-4:35 P.M. | Restoring All Things in Christ Sam Phillips Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 4:35-5:10 P.M. | Importance of a Catholic College & Understanding Differences Within the Newman Guide VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| (This concludes the formal competition). | |
| 5:30-7:00 P.M | Dinner Reception for Competitors and Parents St. Lawrence Commons |
Parent Schedule
| 12:15-12:50 P.M. | Check-in Main Floor – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 1:00-1:30 P.M. | Welcome and Opening Remarks Admissions Director Sam Phillips and College President Dr. Timothy O’Donnell Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 1:30-3:15 P.M. | Campus Tour for Parents |
| 3:30-4:10 P.M. | Career Development and Alumni Success VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden Lower Level –St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 4:10-4:35 P.M. | Restoring All Things in Christ Sam Phillips Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| 4:35-5:10 P.M. | Importance of a Catholic College & Understanding Differences Within the Newman Guide VP for Enrollment Tom McFadden Lower Level – St. John the Evangelist Library |
| (This concludes the formal competition). | |
| 5:30-7:00 P.M. | Dinner Reception for Competitors and Parents St. Lawrence Commons |