Identity and Communications Standards
The Office of Communications and Public Relations (OCPR) is the strategic marketing authority for Christopher Newport University. OCPR promotes and celebrates the achievements of alumni, faculty, staff and students among local, regional and national audiences. OCPR also establishes branding and identity standards, design and editorial standards, and produces all university communications.
The CNU Brand
The official name of the institution is Christopher Newport University. The preferred shorthand version is Christopher Newport. The abbreviation CNU should be used sparingly.
From 1960-91, the institution was called Christopher Newport College (CNC). Alumni are referred to collectively as Christopher Newport alumni,with no CNC or CNU designation. Christopher Newport became a university in 1992.
The mission of Christopher Newport University is to provide educational and cultural opportunities that benefit CNU students, the residents of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation. CNU provides outstanding academic programs, encourages service and leadership within the community, and provides opportunities for student involvement in nationally and regionally recognized research and arts programs. Our primary focus is excellence in teaching, inspired by sound scholarship. At CNU, personal attention in small classes creates a student-centered environment where creativity and excellence can flourish. Our primary emphasis is to provide outstanding undergraduate education. We also serve the commonwealth with master’s degree programs that provide intellectual and professional development for graduate-level students. We are committed to providing a liberal arts education that stimulates intellectual inquiry and fosters social and civic values. CNU students acquire the qualities of mind and spirit that prepare them to lead lives with meaning and purpose. As a state university, we are committed to service that shapes the economic, civic and cultural life of our community and commonwealth.
Christopher Newport University, a small, academically selective public university, is grounded in the principles of liberal learning and dedicated to the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.
- We celebrate the values inherent in the liberal arts and sciences and live as a community of honor to inspire our students to lead lives of significance.
- We aspire to be a preeminent, public liberal arts and sciences university.
- We pursue excellence in all that we do and dedicate ourselves to those initiatives that will strengthen our teaching, our scholarship, our academic programs and disciplines, and our campus community.
- We are building an intimate, diverse, residential community that will attract the most academically talented, inquisitive and intellectually adventuresome students.
- We ignite in our students a love of learning, a sense of responsibility and civic duty. Our graduates are instilled with the knowledge and confidence to engage as responsible leaders and citizens in their communities, the nation and the world.
Brand Expression
Christopher Newport University’s name, logo, designs, photographs, product identifiers, slogans, trademarks and service marks may not be used in any commercial manner without the prior written consent of the Office of Communications and Public Relations. The university counsel may also provide oversight in certain cases.
The Christopher Newport University institutional logos are displayed below. All logos are shown in the official Christopher Newport blue, Pantone Matching System (PMS) 288. Logos may also be displayed in black or in white.
| Description | Logo |
|---|---|
| Vertical |  |
| Horizontal |  |
| Stacked |  |
| Initials |  |
| Sails |  |
The university seal is only used on official documents and at the discretion of the Office of the President.
| Description | Logo |
|---|---|
| Seal |  |
The Department of Athletics uses many different logos. A sampling is displayed below.
| Description | Logo |
|---|---|
| Vertical |  |
| Horizontal |  |
| Stacked |  |
| Initials |  |
| Captain Chris |  |
Athletics logos are appropriate for athletics and school spirit applications. The Department of Athletics must approve any use of athletics logos. Visit CNUsports.com for more information.
The Ferguson Center for the Arts (FCA) must approve any use of the FCA logo.
| Description | Logo |
|---|---|
| Horizontal |  |
The Christopher Newport Alumni Society or OCPR must approve any use of the alumni logos.
| Description | Logo |
|---|---|
| Vertical |  |
| Horizontal |  |
| Stacked |  |
The official name for Christopher Newport University athletics teams is “Captains,” with no apostrophe. The name Captains is used to refer to all or any part of the Christopher Newport community. No descriptor may precede or modify Captains, or refer exclusively to a department or student organization (e.g., Lady Captains, Fighting Captains, Greek Captains, History Captains). The only exception is the marching band, the Marching Captains.
The official university colors are displayed below, including PMS numbers; cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) values; red, green and blue (RGB) values; and hexadecimal codes. Black and white are also in the official CNU color palette.
| Color Information | Swatch |
|---|---|
| CNU Blue Pantone: 288 CMYK: 100/86/26/20 RGB: 0/44/118 Hex: 002C76 |
 |
| CNU Silver Pantone: 877 CMYK: 51/40/39/4 RGB: 132/136/139 Hex: 84888B |
 |
| CNU Web Blue Pantone: --- CMYK: 99/84/45/51 RGB: 10/34/64 Hex: 0A2240 |
 |
| Athletics Blue Pantone: 286 CMYK: 100/82/10/2 RGB: 0/57/118 Hex: 0039A6 |
 |
| Athletics Gray Pantone: 429 CMYK: 37/26/26/0 RGB: 165/172/176 Hex: A5ACB0 |
 |
Official fonts approved for use are shown below.
The standard descriptive copy used in publications and media releases appears below.
A four-year public university in Newport News, Virginia, Christopher Newport University enrolls 5,000 students in rigorous academic programs in the liberal arts and sciences through the College of Arts and Humanities, the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences, the College of Social Sciences, and the Luter School of Business. CNU offers great teaching and small class sizes as well as an emphasis on leadership, civic engagement and honor.
Christopher Newport's nondiscrimination notice appears below.
Christopher Newport University does not discriminate in admission, employment or any other activity on the basis of race, sex, color, age, religion, veteran status, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
Contact the director of Title IX and equal opportunity for more information.
Learfield Licensing Partners handles the licensing of Christopher Newport brands and marks. Contact the Department of Athletics for more information.
All print and Web advertising that uses Christopher Newport logos, identity markers, images or photographs must be produced in association with OCPR, including advertising for student activities.