Message from Chancellor Aswani K. Volety
Dear UNCW Community:
On my first day as UNCW Chancellor, I entered Alderman Hall and walked slowly past the paintings of the leaders who have come before me. As the tenth leader of this great institution, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on their service. Each one of them guided the university through challenges and opportunities and contributed, in their own way, to the institution UNCW has become.
I value UNCW’s history because I have been here before as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Executive Director of the Center for Marine Science. Those experiences showed me how very special this place is. Thank you for the warm welcome you have given me since I returned to UNCW after serving as Elon University’s Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the past three years.
At UNCW, faculty and staff have provided generations of students with powerful learning experiences rooted in teaching, mentoring, research and service. We are a student-centered campus like no other, and I am honored to support and enhance that tradition with your help. Earlier this month, I met with high school juniors who spent part of their summer on our campus, where their learning experience was enriched by high-quality mentoring from our faculty and staff.
I also reconnected with the Wilmington arts community by attending a Wilmington Symphony concert and Opera Wilmington’s staging of “The Magic Flute.” UNCW students, staff and faculty were a significant presence in these great performances.
Most of our students and faculty were not on campus in July, but I did have the opportunity to meet with staff in Business Affairs and Student Affairs. The men’s basketball team also invited me for a quick visit. After seeing the team in action, I can say that these Seahawks are ready to soar even higher than last year! I can’t wait to watch all our student-athletes compete this year.
Athletics, the arts and many other community engagement events create gateways that strengthen UNCW’s connections across the region and state. These programs build bridges between the university and the community and inspire generations of Seahawks to share UNCW’s time-honored traditions.
As UNCW’s newest Chancellor, my initial goals are straightforward. I will listen to you and learn from you. Our focus will remain student-centered. I will communicate with you openly and honestly. I will work with you and for you as we shape a plan for UNCW’s future that can be sustained for years to come.
It feels good to be home.
Yours in Seahawk spirit,
