Who We Are

Vision and Mission

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.

Mission

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.

Christopher Newport 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. Christopher Newport 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.