CNU guarantees admission to RCC grads
News Release - February 16, 2006
contact:
Denise Water
dwatersl@cnu.edu
(757) 594-7331
 RCC president Dr. Elizabeth Crowther and CNU president Paul Trible. |
(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) — Christopher Newport University made Rappahannock Community College its first partner in a guaranteed-admission agreement on Feb. 13. “I am delighted,” said RCC president Dr. Elizabeth “Sissy” Crowther, “that CNU chose RCC to be the first, and at this time, the only institution with which it has partnered on a transfer agreement. This — our 13th significant GAA — is a testament to the quality of student that RCC produces.”
“It’s important that we serve the sons and daughters of Virginia,” said CNU president Paul Trible, a native of the Northern Neck who formerly represented Virginia in the United States Senate. “Both RCC and CNU serve the Northern Neck and Tidewater regions, two areas that I have known and loved my entire life. I look forward to empowering RCC students by building the partnership between us — finding ways to breathe life and excitement into it.” He added, “I’m here because of Sissy’s leadership,” referring to the fact that Crowther has made it her mission, since taking command at RCC, to forge as many guaranteed-admission agreements as possible with Virginia colleges and universities. A special feature of the agreement is CNU’s guarantee that 15 spots in its junior class will be reserved each year for RCC graduates who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society for two-year colleges. “CNU accents service and leadership in its undergraduate experience,” said Crowther, “and they were anxious to begin the RCC relationship with Phi Theta Kappa students, who bring these qualities with them into their junior year of college.” |
RCC counselor Sandy Darnell, who graduated from CNU, emphasized that “CNU would be a natural progression for our students. From a small campus with lots of personal attention, they would move on to a quality four-year school that would continue that same level of care.” CNU has expanded markedly in its 10 years under Trible’s leadership, with $500 million spent on new and improved facilities, and more students applying for admission — an increase of about 1,000 applications every year — but maintains its high standard of individual interest in each student. With a current student population of 4,700, its goal, Trible said, is to stay the same size while improving the quality of its students with each new class.
RCC, on the other hand, needs to grow in order to serve its region better, said Crowther, adding, “We have an enrollment of 1,400 FTEs [full-time equivalent students], and need to be at 1,800.” Crowther hopes to attract a larger number of recent high-school graduates to RCC, especially those who might previously have applied directly to four-year institutions such as CNU, rather than spending an economical and effective two years at RCC before transferring there.
“The CNU atmosphere is very well suited to RCC students,” confirmed Trible. “We are fully prepared to embrace them, encourage them, and help them succeed.” He cautioned, however: “Our students are not spectators. We ask them to participate both in and beyond the classroom. But you would be amazed at the response you get if you just challenge the students to be and do their best.” He concluded, “In our lives there will be moments of remarkable opportunities. Our job is to prepare our students to seize those moments.”Christopher Newport University is a four-year public university in Newport News, Virginia. CNU enrolls 4,800 students in programs through its College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Luter School of Business and offers great teaching, small classes and an emphasis on leadership, civic engagement and honor. Visit us at www.cnu.edu.