Strategic Compass | Christopher Newport University Strategic Compass OUR VISION Anchored in excellence and focused on students, Christopher Newport University aspires to be the nation’s premier regional public university, offering an innovative education embedded in the liberal arts that advances the values of honor, service, scholarship, and leadership to empower graduates to lead lives of significance. FROM THE PRESIDENT Christopher Newport could not count on modern day electronics when he departed England and sailed across the Atlantic, reaching the Virginia coast in 1607. He had to plot his course with the most rudimentary tools imaginable - a sextant, an hourglass, a leadline, and a compass. As we plot the course of Christopher Newport University, we have sophisticated tools at hand, but what we really need and can wholly count on is a good compass. This is our Compass. FROM THE PRESIDENT Christopher Newport could not count on modern day electronics when he departed England and sailed across the Atlantic, reaching the Virginia coast in 1607. He had to plot his course with the most rudimentary tools imaginable - a sextant, an hourglass, a leadline, and a compass. As we plot the course of Christopher Newport University, we have sophisticated tools at hand, but what we really need and can wholly count on is a good compass. This is our Compass. A compass indicates direction. That is what our Compass does. It points the way and creates alignment for every member of our community. One direction is not more important than another. All will be needed. And a compass will not reveal the best conveyance to follow its points, whether traveling by ship or the power of a unified community. We must decide. The process of determining our Compass orientation has unquestionably united and aligned us in a common cause. Thank you to the hundreds of people across every part of our community who contributed ideas, attended information sessions, and helped us define the Compass points, goals and objectives. And, thank you to the Board of Visitors for supporting the initiative and offering invaluable insight along the way. From the start, we have attempted to be transparent and inclusive, and the pages that follow result from the good work of our community. Although a compass can guide us as we set sail, it will not tell us when we have reached the destination. The next step in our journey is to implement tactics to accomplish our goals and objectives and set the metrics that will measure our progress. Key to this step will be assessing our resources and how they can best be utilized. Our Compass is not a catalog in that it does not, and cannot, describe the many important activities already being done with excellence across campus. Those activities remain vital to our collective success and provide our foundation. The Compass tells us where we are heading from 2025 to 2030. We will advance the power and promise of an education embedded in the liberal arts. We will connect with our community. We will create a stronger culture of inclusion and belonging. We will build a foundation so that our beloved University can thrive. The Compass will ensure our sails are full and our course is steady as we continue to serve the students of the Commonwealth and beyond, preparing them to lead lives of significance. I am honored and excited to be joining you on this journey. This is our time to navigate Christopher Newport into the future. Go Captains! FROM THE PRESIDENT ADVANCE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF AN EDUCATION EMBEDDED IN THE LIBERAL ARTS Students will realize strong, enduring value from a comprehensive liberal arts education anchored in excellence that prepares them to understand contemporary challenges, solve complex problems, think critically, adapt to changing professional demands and career opportunities, develop fully as individuals, and become engaged citizens. A student-focused experience prepares students to flourish for a lifetime, opening their minds to new ideas. ADVANCE CONNECT WITH OUR COMMUNITY As a regional public university, Christopher Newport will enhance the overall quality of life in the Peninsula, Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. CNU will integrate with the community as an educational, cultural, societal, and economic hub of excellence. CONNECT CREATE A STRONGER CULTURE OF INCLUSION AND BELONGING Christopher Newport University will provide opportunities and embrace all who wish to belong and thrive in a community committed to inclusion, accessibility, and excellence. This community will be grounded in our core values of honor, scholarship, service, and leadership. CREATE BUILD A FOUNDATION TO THRIVE Christopher Newport will develop sufficient public and private financial resources to achieve its mission. CNU will invest in recruiting, retaining, and developing its students, faculty, and staff. CNU will acquire sufficient endowment funding to provide scholarships to enroll prospective students and support endowed faculty chairs. BUILD Luter School of Business Ranks As One of Nation’s Best Executive mentorship program and career placement sets Luter apart Captains, Meet Bad Bunny New honors class introduces students to popular musical performer CNU Partnership Creates Fast Track for Future Environmental Scientists New program offers seamless transition to Christopher Newport for Randolph-Macon grads seeking master’s degree in environmental science Torggler Opens New Spring Exhibitions "Future Fossils" invites visitors to explore how future generations might interpret our possessions More Stories Board of Visitors Resolution Adopting the Strategic Compass Quick edit Report a problem