Above: Left to right: Cindi Perry (left) and Bill Brauer (right) with President Trible.
Read time:
On behalf of the Board of Visitors, President Paul Trible awarded honorary degrees to two recently retired, longtime Christopher Newport leaders: Cindi Perry and Bill Brauer.
Each received an honorary doctor of laws degree in a ceremony during Trible’s state of the university address to faculty and staff on August 18: “Today as we say thank you to all the members of our remarkable academic community, we want to recognize two extraordinary colleagues who together committed over 70 years of their lives to making Christopher Newport a precious place – Cindi Perry and Bill Brauer.”
Perry was the first to be honored. She worked for Christopher Newport for over 42 years in a number of roles, including as chief of staff for Trible, director of planning and budget and counselor to the president. “Cindi’s wisdom, splendid judgment, knowledge of colleagues and programs across the campus, budgetary expertise, and her love of this place empowered everything that was accomplished at Christopher Newport University,” Trible said. “And so, today, surrounded by treasured friends and colleagues, on behalf of the Board of Visitors, we award you, Cindi Perry, an honorary doctor of laws degree from your beloved Christopher Newport University.”
Brauer was then summoned to the stage and Trible noted his nearly 30 years as executive vice president, chief financial officer and counselor to the president: “Bill’s expert management of the finances of the university in both good and challenging times and his leadership in envisioning and constructing over $1 billion of university facilities has transformed this university and created one of America’s most beautiful campuses. So today, on behalf of the Board of Visitors, we award Bill Brauer an honorary doctor of laws degree from his beloved alma mater.
“Cindi and Bill, you both have sacrificially served and led this institution and inspired all that we have accomplished together. It is our people, the Cindi Perrys and Bill Brauers and each of you – and all of us together – that make Christopher Newport an irresistible force. So, even in these difficult times, we have much to celebrate.”