When we embark on selecting a college we are selecting a way of life for a few years. With around 4700 different schools/colleges/universities whether public/private, community/4-year/master/doctoral , big/small each have a unique mission statement. What is the point of a mission statement? Well a mission statement formally summarizes a college’s core values and goals. It is a sign of commitment to their peers, students, faculty, community, and themselves.
This post is going to highlight two special schools to me: Christopher Newport University (CNU) and Rappahannock Community College (RCC). these school have been a part of academic adventure, so I hope I do them justice when I describe their mission statements in detail.
Rappahannock Community College
RCC is a community college that focuses on 2-years degrees and has a special program in nursing and services. In total, there are five campuses spanning the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck regions of Virginia in the US. The campuses are:
- Glenns
- Warsaw
- Kilmarnock
- King George
- New Kent
RCC’s mission statement can be found here. RCC’s mission statement is one of the longer variants of all mission statements. What stands out to me is their dedication to not just the pursuit of knowledge and academics but include opportunities for professional success to overcome barriers for those interested in trades and services industries. The statement even goes as far as defining access, excellence, and effectiveness as well-rounded core values to support “learners, employees, and citizens.”
Lastly, what really speak to me is the commitment to those who students who need the extra help in the basic academics to help them succeed in post-secondary education should they choose to continue their studies all at an affordable tuition. In the long run, it’s a great career starter in both profession and academic lives.
As a dual enrollment student while in West Point High School, having the opportunity to obtain credits to help advance my studies was invaluable to me. I was whole heartily agree that RCC hold true to their mission. It gave me an edge in approaching my post secondary education as an undergraduate and I will not forget the opportunity that RCC provided to me and now to its students today.
Christopher Newport University
Ah yes, my alma mater.
ALMA MATER
Knowledge, truth, eternal wisdom,
Alma Mater we adore.
Your sons and daughters walk the pathway
Trod by those who came before.With passion, loyalty, and courage,
We wave the silver and the blue.
Our Alma Mater shining brightly,
Hail, all hail, to CNU.
I hold many dear memories from this university ranging from athletics to academics to life long friendships I created during my time there. It is no surprise that as a proud captain I can confidently say that CNU hold to their mission to the best of their ability from both the students and community surrounding in Newport News, VA.
CNU is a university made up of three colleges:
- College of Arts and Humanities
- College of Natural and Behavior Sciences
- College of Social Sciences, including the Joseph W. Luter III School of Business
CNU is a 4-year institution that includes three graduate study programs (although I believe they fall short of the 50 master degree graduate per year minimum for CNU to be considered a Masters university).
CNU’s mission statement can be found here. What makes CNU’s mission statement special is the commitment to not only academics but academics with an emphasis on scholarship, service and leadership, cultural understanding, and providing a top-tier liberal arts education to foster continued growth even after graduation.
I think what makes this mission special is that CNU prides themselves in fostering a great college experience while creating a fantastic atmoshpere for learning with class sizes being small (roughly 22 students give or take per class in 200 level of above), a dedicated faculty with decades of teaching experience, and an emphasis office hours and out-of-class study spaces. It is rare to find a school that can foster many life changing experience while maintaining a competative stand on academic rankings nationally. And the real gamer changer is the dedicated Center for Career Planning which helps students make contact with many employers to get in a professional position before or upon graduation.
Thanks for reading and until the next blog.