Above: Gaines Theatre, pictured from left to right: Miranda Williamson '24, President William G. Kelly, Dr. Patricia Woodbury, Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones
Read time:
With a hometown student highlighting the event, Christopher Newport hosted the Newport News City Council, bringing together city leaders and residents to celebrate the strong partnership between the University and its host city.
The evening highlights included a special recognition of Miranda Williamson ‘24, a member of the first graduating class of the Community Captains program, an early admission two-year college preparatory program designed for high school students in Newport News Public Schools (NNPS). Williamson is a graduate of Heritage High School and was valedictorian of her high school class. She is one of four Community Captains who will graduate this December.
“I just want to note that Miranda and her three Community Captains classmates are graduating in just three and a half years,” President William G. Kelly said as he welcomed the Council members to CNU. “We started this program six years ago in partnership with Newport News Public Schools and the City of Newport News. I want to take this opportunity to thank each of you for your support of this program, our students and Christopher Newport. We are so proud of Miranda and all of the Community Captains graduating this December, and so proud they chose to be Captains!”
The Newport News City Council periodically meets on campus as part of an effort to be more accessible by convening in various areas of the city.
"We are honored to welcome the leaders and residents of this All-America City to your Hometown University,” said President Kelly. “I want to let you know that your University is in great hands. Folks want to come to our University. They want to come to our city, and we are so very proud of that. Great things are happening on our campus. Just outside the doors of this theatre, our new Science and Engineering Research Center is under construction. It’s an 83,000-square-foot building on track to open in January of 2026 and it is a technological showplace that will feature a two-story drone lab, robotics lab and state of the art classrooms for our students.”
President Kelly also shared news about the University’s two new degree offerings, which was met with enthusiastic applause.
"We are proud to share that we have reinstated our Nursing Program in an agreement with Riverside College of Health Sciences (RCHS) and as of last week, we are now authorized to offer a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education. These majors are very much needed across our Peninsula and throughout the Commonwealth. We are excited about these new opportunities as we look to serve our community,” he said.
The remarks concluded with President Kelly reaffirming the University’s mission to be the top choice for local students seeking a high quality, accessible and affordable education.
"We want to be the first choice for every local high school and community college student looking to continue their education on the Peninsula and we are so proud to be the Hometown University for this wonderful city,” he said.