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| Christopher Newport University | August 2011 |
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We have so much to celebrate. There are few, if any, schools in America moving faster and soaring higher than CNU. It is with great enthusiasm and promise that we welcome the fall 2012 semester at Christopher Newport.
We've had a very productive summer and would like to share our good news with you.
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CNU Welcomes the Class of 2015
Last week we welcomed our first-year students. Hundreds of us - students and staff - were there to greet our new freshmen and their families and within minutes carry their possessions to their rooms. A great CNU tradition!
This is an outstanding group of young women and men who earned an average high school GPA of 3.7 - the highest number in our history.
This will also be CNU's largest class of freshmen - more than 1,250 strong. Ninety-seven percent of our first-year students will live on campus, 94 percent of these students are Virginians, and students of color constitute 23 percent of the freshman class (including our largest number of African-Americans).
Leadership and Honors Class of 2015
This freshman class includes 28 Canon Scholars who earned, on average, a high school GPA of 4.1. Canon Scholars participate in the President's Leadership Program and receive a merit scholarship of $5,000/year and the opportunity to study at Oxford.
The freshman class also includes 99 Smithfield and Goodwin Scholars with an average GPA of 4.0. Goodwin and Smithfield Scholars receive a scholarship of $2,000/year, participate in the President's Leadership Program and receive a $2,000 stipend toward foreign study.
In all, we will welcome 374 Leadership students, 80 more than last year, and they earned an average high school GPA of 3.9. Not only have these young women and men excelled in the classroom, but they have also excelled as good citizens and leaders. They are class and club officers, team captains, section leaders, Eagle scouts, newspaper and yearbook editors, and students who have contributed countless hours of community service. They will bring this campus alive with their energy, enthusiasm and intellect.
I am also happy to report that 134 freshmen will participate in our Honors Program - up from 98 last fall. Of these, 102 will participate in both the Leadership and Honors programs - 32 in Honors alone. The average for all Honors students is a 4.0 GPA and 1303 SAT.
Remarkably, 406 freshmen - that's 32 percent of our first-year class - will participate in the President's Leadership Program and/or Honors Program.
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New VP of Advancement Appointed
 I am pleased to announce the appointment of
Adelia Thompson as the new vice president of university advancement. Adelia joins us from Birmingham-Southern College where she has served as the vice president for institutional advancement since 2005. She successfully led Birmingham-Southern's comprehensive campaign, surpassing the goal of $50 million.
Adelia also served as vice president for development at the CDC Foundation in Atlanta, securing more than $45 million in support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
She is deeply committed to liberal learning having spent more than half of her 25-year career in nonprofit leadership at excellent liberal arts and sciences schools. Please join me in welcoming Adelia to the CNU family.
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Robert Lange, New Dean of Admissions
I am pleased to announce
the appointment of
Rob Lange as our new
dean of admissions.
Rob joins us from East Carolina University (ECU) where he has held various positions in the Office of Admissions over the past 11 years - most recently as the senior associate director of admissions.
Prior to his tenure at ECU, Rob served as a senior admissions officer for two years at his alma mater, Daemen College (NY), where he also starred in basketball and was later inducted into the Athletics Wall of Fame.
Rob has a deep appreciation for liberal learning and is passionate about creating good citizens and leaders. I am confident Rob will contribute immensely to our success. |
Campus Tour:
Forbes Hall and Freeman Center
On Sunday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m. we will officially open Mary Brock Forbes Hall, our new integrated science center. While I hope many of you will join us for the festivities, here's a brief slide show highlighting some of the features of this magnificent teaching and learning facility. Forbes Hall Slide Show
 Later next week, on Thursday, Aug. 25, we will cut the ribbon on the expanded Freeman Center. In addition to housing the "new" Gaines Theatre, the facility doubles the size of the Trieshmann Health and Fitness Pavilion, provides new homes for our counseling and wellness offices, and features several meeting spaces, all with state-of-the-art technology. Again, we hope to see you at the opening. Here are a few images that celebrate this wonderful new building. Freeman Center Slide Show |
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50th Anniversary Celebration
50th Sponsors Support Scholarships
To date more than
$500,000 has
been raised to support scholarships through the 50th Anniversary Sponsorship initiative.
We thank our sponsors for their generous support:
Smithfield Foods Inc.
TowneBank
W.M. Jordan Inc.
Ferguson
Sysco Hampton Roads
Riverside Health System
The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
Glave' & Holmes Architecture
Huntington Ingalls Industries
Pepsi Bottling Group
The Beazley Foundation Inc.
Dixon Hughes Goodman LLP
Tom & Ann Hunnicutt
Old Point National Bank
Carolyn Abbitt, Trustee for MAIHS Foundation
Daily Press Media Group
Huffman & Huffman P.L.L.C.
Mike & Patty Martin
Scott & Muriel Millar
Witt-Mares, PLC
The Verlander Foundation
Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein
Friends of the Mariners' Museum
Jane Speegle
Smithfield Packing
Union First Market Bank
John Conrad
Bill & Pat Heath
Carl & Denise Farris
Koontz-Bryant PC
Friends of Music
Nancy McCoy
POMOCO Group Inc.
Bill & Michelle Brauer
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Office of Advancement.
Free Virginia Symphony Concert
In celebration of our 50th Anniversary, please join us for a special free Symphony Under the Stars concert with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra! This joyous evening of music will take place Friday, Sept. 2, at 7:30 p.m. on CNU's Great Lawn, and will feature Broadway, light classical and movie favorites. Bring your picnic basket and blanket and enjoy! Visit 50.cnu.edu for details.
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Fall Events: Save the Date
We have incredible events planned throughout the fall semester. Be sure to mark these on your calendar. You won't want to miss them!
Forbes Hall Opening
Sunday, Aug. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Freeman Center Ribbon Cutting
Thursday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m.
Free Virginia Symphony Concert
Friday, Sept. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
50th Anniversary Weekend
Friday, Sept.16 thru Sunday, Sept. 18
1st Football Game Under the Lights!
Saturday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Family Weekend & Homecoming
Friday, Oct. 21 thru Sunday, Oct. 23
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