May 29, 2025
Dear UNCW Community:
Congratulations to UNCW’s most recent graduates! More than 3,100 students celebrated receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees this spring, including the first student to earn a doctoral degree in pharmaceutical chemistry from UNCW. Wherever they go next, I have no doubt our graduates will continue to soar by applying the same dedication they invested in earning their degrees.
Congratulations also go to the UNCW faculty and staff who were recognized at recent awards ceremonies. The Faculty Awards Celebration honored award recipients’ dedication, passion, and pursuit and sharing of knowledge. The Staff Award for Excellence reception highlighted the work of employees who have excelled in their service to UNCW in the categories of Customer Service, Efficiency and Innovation, Human Relations, Outstanding State Government Service, Public Service and Spirit of North Carolina. As these awards show, our faculty and staff are remarkable mentors, advocates and champions for our students.
Recognition from outside the university demonstrates the same. The Office of University Relations in collaboration with campus partners earned three Telly Awards for UNCW’s outstanding video storytelling and production. The awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens and attract entries from some of the world’s top brands, media organizations and universities.
We celebrated our faculty and staff on State Employee Appreciation Day this month during ice cream socials. I joined other members of executive leadership and the deans in serving dessert to our faculty and staff to thank them for all that they do to make UNCW a place where we can be proud to work.
A new study that’s been getting national attention began as an undergraduate thesis by the lead author, Jacob Bolin ’23. The research provides new insight into the visual perception of humpback whales and could lead to changes in fishing gear to reduce entanglement based on whale visual capabilities. Co-authors include Vanessa Moreno, a graduate student who helped mentor Bolin in the lab under Lori Schweikert, assistant professor of biology and marine biology.
We’ve added two new members to university leadership. New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise and City of Wilmington Councilman Luke Waddell Sr. have been appointed to serve four-year terms on the UNCW Board of Trustees starting in July. Both will be instrumental in advocating for the university and fostering strong relationships between the university and local communities.
Helping the UNCW community participate in civic engagement is an important part of our educational efforts. The university’s One Cards have been approved as suitable photo IDs for elections by the North Carolina State Board of Elections. We’re glad to play a part in offering another option when Seahawks need to present a valid form of identification while exercising their right to vote. I was also happy to share the work of UNCW with the people of North Carolina by speaking with PBS NC’s David Crabtree for the series “Focus On.” It was exciting to bring the program, which offers an in-depth look at current affairs in the state, to our campus.
As the academic year comes to an end, so does the spring season for athletics, a successful one for UNCW. At the club team level, we won our first 2025 Men’s Division II National Championship title at the Collegiate Rugby Championship, where Club President Marshall Wiseman also earned the title of finals MVP. At the NCAA Division I level, the men’s tennis team won its fifth straight CAA championship, and we sent seven representatives of our track and field team to the NCAA East First Round after capturing multiple gold medals at the CAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
Every year, our graduates join a growing and dynamic teal network of Seahawks who believe in and support the UNCW experience. As the Class of 2025 lifts off from UNCW and heads toward new horizons, let's soar high, soar far and soar together!
Aswani K. Volety
Chancellor
