From the desk of President Trible

Christopher Newport University

January 2012

In This Issue

New Year's in London

Athletics Wrap-Up

Class to Be Shown on TV

CNU in Top 100

Rocovich Scholars

Ask PST

Ask the President

CNU is a work in progress, and we strive for excellence in all we do.

I welcome your advice, suggestions and questions. Let me know how we can do better or where we fall short of expectations.

Email your advice and questions to: AskPST@cnu.edu

I will include some of your questions and answers in my future messages.

50th Anniversary Sponsors

Welcome back! I hope the winter break was restful and that you spent a joyful and memorable holiday season with family and friends. A new year is always a chance to start fresh and renew our efforts to excel in everything we do. Together we will make CNU the best it can be.

Celebrating the New Year, London-Style

Photo by the New Year's Day Parade and Festival London

The Marching Captains rang in the new year by turning in a spectacular performance in the London New Year's Day Parade. The event, televised worldwide on the BBC, celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II and marked the beginning of London's 2012 Olympic year.

The band had the honor of being the sole ensemble to march in the grand finale of the parade and presented a spirited medley of British and American songs. The Marching Captains were praised by television personalities and parade officials, who commented on the band's musical excellence, high level of energy and unbridled enthusiasm despite a torrential downpour during the parade.

A video clip of the parade showing the Marching Captains is available online.

Dr. Lauren Fowler-Calisto leads the Women's Chorus in Westminster Abbey

The CNU Women's Chorus joined the marching band on the London trip. Performing the choral portion of evensong on New Year's Eve, the chorus sang from the hallowed wooden stalls of Westminster Abbey to a huge audience that had waited in line for nearly two hours. The beautiful acoustics and visual splendor of this magnificent cathedral were well worth the wait. Our women joined the ranks of worshipers
who have offered praise here daily for more than 1,000 years.

The chorus also sang a stirring rendition of Handel's "Coronation Anthems" in Southwark Cathedral under the direction of world-renowned maestro Simon Carrington. In the words of the chorus's director, Dr. Lauren Fowler-Calisto, "Our students experienced first-hand the meaning of professionalism."

What a delight it was to see our incredible student music groups shine on a festive international stage, complete with royal pageantry. I was joined on this memorable journey by many of the participating students' families, as well as several CNU faculty members, staff and alumni. All had an unforgettable time and took great pride in our students' talent, commitment and passion for music.

Basketball Teams on a Roll

Men's and women's basketball continue their march toward USA South Championships. Both teams are in the midst of tremendous winning streaks.

Tra Benefield

The CNU men's basketball team is riding a nine-game winning streak and leads the USA South Athletic Conference with a 5-0 league start. John Krikorian's squad is 13-3 overall and has also won 10 of their last 11 games. Senior guard Conley Taylor is averaging 21 points per game, while sophomore forward Tra Benefield recently scored a career-high 34 points in a CNU victory at North Carolina Wesleyan.

Tia Perry

The women's basketball team is 12-3 overall and 7-1 in the USA South. The Captains have won seven consecutive games and are tied for the top spot in the league. Sophomore Tia Perry leads the Captains, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds per game.

The baseball team continues to gear up for the coming season. The Captains were recently ranked as the preseason No. 4 team in the nation by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The team was 39-7 last season and opens the 2012 season on Feb. 9 vs. Hampden-Sydney.

Come cheer on the Captains! Visit cnusports.com for more information and team schedules.

History Class to Be Televised on C-SPAN

Dr. Jonathan W. White

A national news outlet has taken notice of the great work being done by CNU's Department of Leadership and American Studies.

Next month, the cable TV network C-SPAN will be on campus to tape Dr. Jonathan W. White's Treason in American History class for future broadcast. White will focus on President Lincoln's use of the military to arrest civilians who were suspected of disloyalty during the Civil War.

C-SPAN's audience of 45 million homes will have a front-row seat to the unique CNU experience of small class sizes and inspiring faculty-student interaction by witnessing a genuine day in this class from beginning to end, without interruption.

White is a well-known Lincoln scholar and recently published a book titled Abraham Lincoln and Treason in the Civil War: The Trials of John Merryman.

The program will air as part of C-SPAN's "Lectures in History" series later this year. The series airs at 8 p.m. Eastern time Saturdays, and midnight and 1 p.m. Eastern time Sundays. After the program airs, it will also be available online from the C-SPAN Video Library.

CNU Makes Kiplinger's Top 100

Our emergence as a pre-eminent liberal arts university continues to draw attention. The magazine Kiplinger's Personal Finance has named Christopher Newport one of the top-100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2012. These institutions are praised for their ability to "deliver a great education at prices that put private schools to shame."

The magazine's metrics are a combination of academics and affordability, with academics given slightly greater weight. The schools included are noteworthy for having a competitive admission rate, a strong record for graduating students on time and an in-state cost near the national average, all qualities we strive for at CNU.

The article and listings are available online.

Such recognition is a testament to the incredible work of our students, faculty and staff. We continue to make CNU the best it can be by recruiting the finest faculty, seeking the brightest students and creating an exceptional college experience emphasizing leadership, honor and service.

New Pre-Med Scholarship Program

Paul and Rosemary Trible Library Christopher Newport and The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) have established a new program to benefit traditionally underserved students interested in studying pre-med at CNU. It is another way we can attract high-quality students who wouldn't otherwise be able to experience CNU.

The Rocovich Scholars Program provides substantial leadership scholarships to some of the brightest incoming freshmen interested in pursuing a medical career. Those chosen will be among the elite of their class, with top-notch academic attainment and high test scores.

CNU students may now qualify for early acceptance to either VCOM or Eastern Virginia Medical School during their undergraduate studies without having to take the Medical College Admission Test. Such an advantage will put them on a fast track to realizing their dreams of a rewarding medical career.

Our pre-med program continues to produce talented students. Over the past three years, 80 percent of CNU applicants have been accepted to medical school.

Ask PST

Q: Are there plans to improve parking on campus?

A: Our campus is always evolving, and this includes our parking facilities. The new section of parking lot E at the corner of University Place and Warwick Boulevard is now open. Those with day student (green), main campus (orange), and faculty/staff (blue) decals may park in lot E. This new lot adds 773 new parking spaces on campus.

As a reminder, there is also ample parking for day students and faculty and staff in the Ferguson Center garage and adjacent lot.