Donor Spotlight

Through the years, Cary (’77) and Brenda Epes have built an enduring relationship with Christopher Newport University. Recalling his days on campus, Cary affirms that what was then Christopher Newport College had a dramatic impact on both his personal and professional life. “Two defining moments happened,” he says. “I was introduced to my wife, and I was introduced to banking, which became my career.”

A lifelong resident of the Virginia Peninsula, Cary met Brenda in 1966 when both enrolled in a freshman physics class. They attended a Sadie Hawkins Day dance on their first date, and the rest is history. It was also at Christopher Newport that a placement officer connected Cary with a part-time position at a local bank that set the stage for his future vocation. 

Cary left school to serve in the U.S. Army from 1968-72, including a tour in Vietnam. After his discharge, he secured a full-time banking job and - thanks to the GI Bill - immediately returned to Christopher Newport to complete his degree. 

Now retired from banking, Cary’s professional milestones include serving as executive vice president and chief lending officer for Old Point National Bank in Hampton. Brenda, also retired, enjoyed her own successful career in advertising. 

Through the years the two have generously supported CNU through financial gifts and volunteerism, due in large part to their heart for education. “As parents, we saw what an impact a dedicated and caring teacher can have on children,” Brenda says. And through their establishment of an endowed scholarship in 2006 that benefits CNU business students, they paid tribute to some former first-grade teachers - Cary’s mother (Lucille Epes) and Brenda’s late mother (Hilda Buchanan). “We couldn’t think of a better way to honor our parents,” Cary says. 

Such support will make a CNU education affordable for deserving students in the Joseph W. Luter, III School of Business and Leadership. In the future, Brenda and Cary plan to add CNU to their will, in addition to starting a second endowed scholarship through a bequest to the University. “I’ve worked in an industry that encourages you to be involved civically.” Among their CNU involvements, Cary has served on the CNU Alumni Society board, and Brenda has assisted Dr. Lisa Spiller’s students with a marketing project. 

Invested heart and soul in their community, Cary and Brenda encourage others to give back in whatever way possible. This includes the gift of time, which the two have contributed to several organizations beyond CNU, such as Peninsula Habitat for Humanity, the Safe Haven emergency children’s shelter, and the Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority. As Brenda notes, “Regardless of what you make, you can give something to others.”