Student Organizations

Here you can find student-run clubs that specialize in the arts!

For more clubs, visit our university's compass page here

Performing Arts

Established in 2013, Extreme Measures (EM) is one of Christopher Newport University's Competitive Co-Ed A Cappella group. EM has traveled all over Virginia, participating in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA's), Richmond Rhythm, hosted by the Virginia Commonwealth University Ramifications, and L.E.N.S. hosted by Cut Off Studios. On campus, EM holds a place in the welcoming CNU a cappella community as we perform in the annual Glow in the Darcappella as well as host our Blue Tie Affair invitational. EM is full of dedicated and talented musicians and doubles as a second family to our members. With a mission to spread our passion for singing, EM works diligently inside and outside of the rehearsal hall to provide the world with music curated from all of our hearts.

The Newport Pearls (more commonly known as "The Pearls") are the premier all-female acapella group from Christopher Newport University located in Newport News, Virginia. Founded in 2005, the Pearls were the first acapella group on campus and since then has fostered a musical environment which now hosts six acapella groups. Pearls love performing on and off campus all throughout the year! They participate in annual events such as 'Glow in the Darcapella', various student-run events throughout the year, as well as at off campus venues.

Trebled Youth is a casual mixed a capella group at Christopher Newport University! Established in 2011, Trebled Youth was the second mixed group to form on campus, and has defined itself with its dynamic and wide range of genres found in their unique arrangements. Trebled Youth is a group of casual musicians which generally perform on campus and focus on fun and the family-like bond amongst its members!

Started by Alex Arena and Joseph Bartoo in 2020, Space Fish is an indie rock band that plays live music on campus at CNU, and at venues in Newport News and Richmond. Space Fish consists of 5 members: Alex Arena (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Joseph Bartoo (Rhythmic Guitar/Vocalist), Lauren Tudahl (Bass/Vocalist), Kemari Effiong (Piano/Backup Vocals), and Matthew Conner (Drums). Space Fish primarily focuses on creating fun and casual live music experiences for the Newport News Community! Jam Accordingly! Follow us on Instagram: @spacefishofficial.

Dance

Hypnotic Control is a hip hop dance club that focuses on the improvement of our members dance skills and encourages them to perform for the CNU community! We are a group of 20 members that meets for 2 hours twice a week to learn intricate dance pieces from our choreography team or pieces we find online, hoping to perform and entertain the CNU community. We focus on stage presence, intricacy, creativity, and freestyle skills! We welcome anyone from all dance backgrounds/experience to join our organization!

We also host Unleash the Talent, a talent show for the CNU community!

The goal of the Ballroom Dance Society at CNU is to provide a space for students to learn various styles of dancing and make friends with others interested in the world of ballroom dancing. We offer weekly lessons, taught by our excellent instructor and a weekly free dance to practice and socialize with friends. We also take part in several competitions throughout the year. No experience is required, and we are always welcoming new faces, so bring your friends!

Korean Pop Culture is a K-Pop Choreography club who prides themselves in their performance all around campus! In addition to participating in events such as STROLL, Hypnotic Control's Unleash, the Intercultural Festival, and our own exhibition, we have also built a family of K-Pop lovers. We meet weekly on Fridays from 7-9pm where we teach dances, play trivia games, and more!

Our upcoming events are Unleash on 2/9/24 and the Intercultural Festival on 3/29/24. Come see us!

The Latin Student Association (LSA) is a student-run organization at Christopher Newport University (CNU) that aims to celebrate, enhance, and raise awareness of Latino and Hispanic culture on campus. The club is Latino-based but not exclusive. This means that it is open to all students, regardless of their ethnicity, and provides a welcoming environment for those interested in learning more about Latinx and Hispanic culture. LSA organizes various events throughout the year, including cultural festivals, dance performances, and educational seminars. The club also provides a platform for students to connect and share their experiences. If you’re

interested in joining LSA, you can reach out to them at hola@cnu.edu.

Variety

CNU’s Improv Team, Scared Shipless, is a comedy improv organization that performs improv shows; meaning no lines and no preparation other than learning how the games work. All of our prompts come straight from the audience! We meet regularly to try different games, and then perform a collection of them using prompts and other forms of participation from the audience. Auditions to join Scared Shipless are usually around the start of the Fall semester.

Group of students in a classroom doing improv

The Record and Tape Exchange Club (RTX) at CNU is a club made by, and for, music lovers! The 100% student-led organization is proud to offer a space for students to come together and enjoy community and discussion. We work in tandem with the WCNU radio station to plan shows and events that highlight local musical talent and get CNU students engaged with the community.

Last semester, RTX and WCNU produced a Halloween-themed concert featuring three independent bands from Virginia, one of which was made up entirely of current CNU students! Together, the two organizations also organized a weekly open mic event at a local cafe walking distance from campus. Along with these events, RTX organized a trip to a local record store as well as a day of community service with Serve the City. In the coming months, RTX hopes to organize a few shows featuring more local talent, as well as hosting our second annual Battle of the Bands event later in the Spring of 2024. RTX and WCNU also hope to get the radio station up and running once more, so keep an eye out for that! To stay updated and involved with our community, follow us on Instagram @ cnu_record_tape

WCNU, the student-led radio station on campus, is finally revived! Despite not being live on air for over five years, WCNU is still garnering interest from students and faculty who want to see it reinstated. CNU alumni Erik Peake created the Record and Tape Exchange (RTX) club and began to work in tandem with WCNU. The two clubs spent the last few semesters contributing to enriching the music culture at CNU, offering a place for the music lovers on campus to commune and discuss anything and everything, from different genres to the pros and cons of different listening formats. Last semester, WCNU and RTX worked together to produce many events, including a Halloween-themed concert and weekly open mics at Captain's Den featuring exclusively local talent - including CNU students! Strong efforts to get the radio up and running once more have been made in the

A group of volunteers posing at a storefront

Captain Design is the CNU Graphic Design club started in January 2024. Our purpose is, to promote creativity, imagination, and learning through projects and activities centered around Graphic Design. The club is made up of two components, 1) Recreational graphic design. 2) Providing departments, organizations, clubs, and individuals at Christopher Newport University with their Graphic Design needs. As this is a new club, we are in search of members, regardless of experience, and an advisor to help get us organized. We are also looking to put together an Executive Board made up of passionate, dedicated members. To get involved, contact our president: @nathaniel.aponte.21@cnu.edu and follow us on Instagram: @cnucaptaindesign.

Bejeweled Beads is a club for any students who have an interest in jewelry making. Founded in the fall semester of 2023, this club is a new and growing space for creativity and socializing. There is no level of experience or knowledge in jewelry making needed to be a member.

All materials are supplied but members are welcome to bring their own materials if they choose. Membership comes with dues of $15 per semester. your first meeting is always free but if you choose not to become a member, all meetings attended after your first come with a fee of $3. Dues help to pay for all materials used in the jewelry-making process as well as any other resources provided by the club.

Meetings are held every other week, with theme nights at least once a month. Upcoming theme nights include charm night, and celestial jewelry.

We hope to see you there!

Craft for a Cause is an on campus service club that makes and donates crocheted items to various community partners including Riverside Hospital, Cups N Claws Cat Cafe, and Link of Hampton Roads. So far, we have donated baby hats, fidget blankets, no one dies alone (NODA) blankets, cat toys, cat beds, hand warmers, and many more items. No prior experience is necessary in order to join. We are happy to teach you everything you need to know in order to start your first crochet project!

Student Org. Events

*Posters found on Instagram/Sent with permission