Alumni & friends in Berlin gather for the Principia Together tour. 

At the recent Principia Together celebration in March, Principia’s reach extended beyond country borders to embrace and unite with alumni and friends in Europe. The tour, which included five cities and four countries, began in London and traveled on to Paris, Geneva, and Hamburg, ending in Berlin. Over 100 alumni and friends—ranging from prospective students and recent graduates to college alumni of the class of ‘59—showed up to celebrate, reconnect, and “come home” to Principia.  

For alumni living across the globe, a trip to their alma mater is more of a trek than for their classmates living stateside. To remedy this, Chief Executive Barbara Blackwell (HON’22) brought Principia to them. The European gatherings centered around institutional updates from Blackwell, who gave our international alumni & friends an inside look into the Principia of today. The event blossomed into a full dialogue between alumni and Principia—one of respect and curiosity. But the exchange didn’t stop there. 

In cities where fewer English speakers were in attendance, two young alumni, Anouk Lingk (US’22) and Rhyan du Peloux (C’22), stepped up to translate. Du Peloux organized the event and translated Blackwell’s remarks at Deuxième Église du Christ, Scientiste—the Christian Science church in Paris. Lingk, meanwhile, became the unexpected hero of the hour in Berlin. “We didn’t plan to have a translator in Berlin,” says Senior Director of Alumni & Field Relations, Merrilee McFarland (US’99, C’03). “But when we got there, we realized there were younger students in the audience who didn’t speak much English. Rhyan and Anouk’s contributions were huge.”   

Videos of current international students speaking about Principia in their native languages were shared, giving voice to the international student experience both past and present. For many alumni in the audience, it was a sweet reminder of their own Principia experience. For others in attendance, it was a glimpse into the future. “One of the most impactful moments for me was watching prospective students watch that video,” says McFarland. “There were two high school-aged boys in Paris who didn't speak much English, and watching their faces change when the two French speakers came on almost brought me to tears. By the end of the event, they were asking what they needed to do to attend Principia.” (View the video below.)

Each stop showcased the vibrancy and strong sense of community among Principia's international alumni and friends. Whether gathered around a table at a restaurant in Geneva or Hamburg, in an elegant sitting room in London, or in a Christian Science Church in Paris or Berlin, alumni and friends were reminded of the strength, depth, and endurance of their Principia roots. After the Berlin event in the local Christian Science church, Dritte Kirche Christi, Wissenschafter, Charlottenburg, one of the hosts remarked, “Principia always felt so far away. But now, after today, it feels so close.” 

After attending the Hamburg event, Martina (Arndt) Tuxen (C‘76) said of the experience, “I enjoyed reconnecting with Principia so much. The institution is definitely needed, and its standard of excellence has not waned one bit. How wonderful that Principia is teaching students to bridge gaps in society.”   

“Our international alumni are so vital to Principia,” says McFarland. “Having the opportunity to connect with and embrace our alumni is always special. They’re the heart and soul of Principia—both the past and the future. The success of our current students relies on them. This tour was all about strengthening those bonds and letting our international alumni know how much we love them, and that they’re still Principians, no matter how far away they may live. Distance doesn’t divide us.”  

It certainly doesn’t. And if our international alumni didn’t know that before, they certainly do now. When asked to finish the sentence, “Principia is . . .” alumni in attendance said, “life changing,” “special,” and “inspirational.” But perhaps the most accurate description? “A worldwide family.”

See what our current international students have to say about Principia!