Christopher Newport University outlines five‑year 'Strategic Compass' and new research facility

Christopher Newport University President Bill Kelly presented the university's new five-year Strategic Compass to the Newport News City Council, describing priorities to anchor the school in the liberal arts while expanding STEM, increase inclusion and community partnerships, and build fiscal and environmental resilience.

Kelly told the council the plan was developed with input from more than 200 students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members and will guide university decision-making over the next five years. "We are a liberal arts institution, but over 50% of our students graduate with a STEM degree," Kelly said, adding that the figure rises above 70% when business degrees are included.

The university plans to cut the ribbon on an 83,000-square-foot Science and Engineering Research Center on Jan. 10, funded by the Commonwealth. Kelly said the center will include a two-story drone lab, makerspaces, state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms and that the university intends the facility to be a regional resource. "It is going to be a phenomenal resource, not only for our university, but we want it to be a resource for the region and especially for our city," Kelly said, and noted partnerships with Virginia Tech and Newport News Shipbuilding.

Kelly said the Strategic Compass groups university work into four focus areas: advancing the liberal arts, building a foundation to thrive (including fiscal responsibility and environmental sustainability), creating a culture of inclusion and belonging, and connecting with the Hampton Roads region and the city of Newport News. He described 49 tasks within the plan and named Tom Kramer as the university's point person for community engagement.

To illustrate community impact, Kelly cited recent athletic events that brought teams and visiting fans from multiple states and said those visitors stayed in local hotels and ate at local restaurants. He also highlighted campus venues such as the Ferguson Center and the Torgersen Center as assets the university will try to leverage for the city.

Council members thanked Kelly for the presentation and said they looked forward to partnering with the university on outreach and student access. Kelly offered to answer questions and said the university will conduct an economic impact study to quantify its effect on the city.

The presentation occurred during the council's work session; no formal council action on the Strategic Compass was recorded in the transcript.