Ruby Coaker just became a Captain. And because our campus is within the city, she also just became a resident of Newport News.

For Coaker, that means a lot. She sees it as an opportunity to become part of something bigger and to make a difference in her adopted hometown.

She wants her world to be broader than the perimeter of Christopher Newport, and is excited to become a changemaker.

Coaker, from Chesterfield County, Va., has now taken the first step toward making that happen.

She was one of 320 first-year Captains to take part in the 2026 Day One of Service, a day-long opportunity for new students to get to know the area by volunteering at more than 30 local organizations and schools. Guiding the freshmen was a small army of more than 60 enthusiastic faculty, staff, and student leader volunteers who were focused on sharing their love of community and service.

“I think this is great. Being involved in the community is so important not only for students, but also for the surrounding area,” said Coaker, who was helping at the Aviation Academy at Denbigh High School in Newport News. “The more committed you are, the more support you have. This gives me the chance to get to know people and a chance to see where I can help provide service.”

Day One is intended to serve as a starting point, the first day of many in which Coaker and her classmates prioritize making the world a better place.

As one of the Four Pillars of a CNU education, service plays a critical role in the University’s priorities and Day One of Service offers students their first experience of lending a hand to their new community. It is a Christopher Newport tradition now in its 19th year, having provided the local community with more than 800,000 hours of meaningful service.

“The hope is that Day One becomes the first day they recognize the importance of connecting to their community wherever they go and commit to a lifetime of active engagement and civic leadership,” said Vanessa Buehlman, director of Christopher Newport’s Center for Community Engagement. “We don’t want our students’ CNU experience to stop at what they learn within the classroom or at the edge of campus. They are part of something much bigger. Before they have even started classes, Day One gives them an immediate opportunity to get out in their new community, meet people, and learn about the place they’ll call home for the next four years, and discover how they can be an active part of it.”

During Day One, Captains fanned out in force across the area to various schools and nonprofits. The work included helping schools get ready for the new year, building an enclosure for a red wolf at a local living museum, and beautifying the grounds and landscaping at nearby organizations.

The day was all about making a positive impact. They were greeted by grateful organizations and their efforts were championed as helping move important projects forward.

An added benefit of Day One of Service is that it gives freshmen an opportunity to make friends and get to know the community.

“Today is about meeting the needs of others and also having fun,” said Lacey Grey Hunter, director of the President's Leadership Program (PLP).

Mya Aleksak, ‘28 Criminology, remembers her Day One of Service when she first started CNU. It made such a lasting impression on her that she decided to become a team leader this year and help freshmen garner as much satisfaction and joy from it as she did four years ago.

“It really sets a foundation for students who want to go out and serve,” she said. “It helps them to see the importance of community and makes it easy to stay motivated to serve.”

The importance of service resonated with Jonathan Williams, a freshman who spent the day at a York County elementary helping staff get ready for the first day of school.

“It’s a very nice experience to get involved with the community and help schools. I know teachers work really hard and it’s nice to give back to them,” he said.

Addyson Hines agreed, saying she didn’t realize growing up how much work was required behind the scenes to prepare for a new school year.

“This is like a full-circle moment as a college student giving back to an elementary school,” she said. “It’s very rewarding to help with this.”