🏆 2026 Alumni Awards | Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award Congratulations to Jennifer Dunn ’95, recipient of the 2026 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award! Jennifer Dunn’s career reflects a remarkable legacy of leadership, service, and unwavering commitment to both her profession and her alma mater. A 1995 graduate of Christopher Newport University with a degree in Communications, Jennifer dedicated 29 years to Newport News Shipbuilding, culminating in her role as Vice President of Communications, where she led communications strategy for Virginia’s largest industrial employer and supported the critical mission of the U.S. nuclear Navy. Although she grew up in a family of shipbuilders, Jennifer never envisioned a career in the shipbuilding industry. That changed in 1997 when she joined Newport News Shipbuilding—a decision that launched nearly three decades of leadership and service. Throughout her career, she advanced through communications roles of increasing responsibility,...