Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall 2026 First Eight-Week SessionFall 2026 First Half-Term
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- Fall 2026 Second Eight-Week SessionFall 2026 Second Half-Term
- Spring 2027 First Eight-Week SessionSpring 2027 First Half-Term
- Spring Semester 2027
- Spring 2027 Second Eight-Week SessionSpring 2027 Second Half-Term
- Summer Semester 2027
- Summer I 2027Summer I 2027 First Six-Week Session
- Summer II 2027Summer II 2027 Second Six-Week Session
- Fall 2027 First Eight-Week Session
- Fall Semester 2027
- Fall 2027 Second Eight-Week Session
- Spring 2028 First Eight-Week Session
- Spring Semester 2028
- Spring 2028 Second Eight-Week Session
- Summer Semester 2028
- Summer 2028 First Six-Week Session
- Summer 2028 Second Six-Week Session
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 14 of 14 terms
D
- Don's Deck
- The outdoor seating area associated with the dining facilities in the student union.
- Dons
- Short for Mastodons, the official mascot; used to refer to students, athletes, and the general campus community.
I
- IPSGA
- The legacy acronym for the student government (Indiana-Purdue Student Government Association), still found in older campus documents and traditions.
J
- Java Loco
- The campus coffee shop located in the Walb Student Union featuring local coffee blends.
S
- SAB
- Student Activities Board, the student-led organization responsible for planning campus events like homecoming and concerts.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the primary representative body for the student population.
T
- The Apartments
- The collective term for the student housing units, as PFW offers apartment-style living rather than traditional dorm rooms.
- The Bridge
- The Venderly Family Bridge, the iconic pedestrian bridge connecting the main academic campus to the Waterfield housing campus.
- The Communicator
- The independent, student-run media outlet and newspaper for the PFW campus.
- The Grill
- The Mastodon Grill, the primary made-to-order food station located in the Walb Student Union.
- The Pit
- A common student nickname for the lower-level lounge or seating area in the Walb Student Union.
- The Plex
- Refers to the Hefner Soccer Complex or the nearby athletic fields where intramural and club sports are often held.
W
- Walb
- The Walb Student Union, often used to refer to the central dining area and food court.
- Waterfield
- The Waterfield Campus, the designated area across the St. Joseph River where all on-campus student housing is located.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- bon_bon_s_coffee
- Bon Bon's Coffee
- Brightspace
- The Learning Management System (LMS) where students access course materials, submit assignments, and view syllabi.
- Citilink
- The Fort Wayne public bus system; students can ride for free by showing their Mastodon Card.
- crave_food_hall
- Crave Food Hall
- don_s_at_walb
- Don's at Walb
- einstein_bros_bagels
- Einstein Bros. Bagels
- ETCS
- The Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science Building.
- GoPFW
- The central online student portal used for registration, checking grades, and accessing financial aid information.
- java_spot
- Java Spot
- KT
- Kettler Hall, the university's primary administrative building and a major hub for classrooms.
- LA
- The Liberal Arts Building, housing humanities and social science departments.
- Mastodon Card
- The official student ID card used for building access, meal plans, and library services.
- NF
- Neff Hall, primarily used for business and education courses.
- PFW Alerts
- The emergency notification system that sends texts and emails regarding campus closures or safety issues.
- RH
- Rhinehart Music Center, the main venue for performing arts and music education.
- SB
- The Science Building, containing laboratories and science department offices.
- VA
- The Visual Arts Building, located on the north side of campus.
- WU
- Walb Student Union, the center for student life, dining, and the campus bookstore.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 24, 2026 – Dec 20, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 14 approved campus terms and 18 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.