Friday, March 17, 2023

Dr. Aswani K. Volety, a first-generation college graduate and native of India, will be formally installed as the University of North Carolina Wilmington’s seventh chancellor on Friday, March 31. UNCW looks forward to welcoming students, faculty, staff, alumni and honored guests to Trask Coliseum for the historic occasion. 

During the ceremony, Chancellor Volety will share a vision for the future that celebrates and builds on the success of the Seahawk community, which has grown from to 238 students in 1947, when UNCW was known as Wilmington College, to more than 2,500 faculty and staff, nearly 18,000 students and 100,000 alumni today. 

Chancellor Volety returned to campus on July 1, 2022, having previously served as the Dean of UNCW’s College of Arts and Sciences and the Executive Director of the Center for Marine Science. He also served as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Elon University. 

Dr. Volety’s leadership philosophy is guided by what is best for students, best for faculty, staff and the campus community, what will move the university forward and what is good for the region and North Carolina. As he works with others to develop the university's next strategic plan, he has continued to emphasize the student experience and well-being of students, faculty and staff, research and creative scholarship, financial stability, and community engagement. 

“I am honored by the opportunity to lead a university like no other,” Chancellor Volety said. “I appreciate the confidence and trust placed in me, and I look forward to working collaboratively with the UNCW campus and community to turn challenges into opportunities, champion great ideas, and build consensus across campus and around the region to get things done.”

He holds a Doctorate in Marine Science from the College of William & Mary, a master's in zoology with a specialization in marine biology and a bachelor’s from Andhra University in India. He also earned graduate certificates in management development, and management and leadership in education from the Graduate School of Education at Harvard University. He is a graduate of the American Association for State Colleges and Universities’ Millennium Leadership Initiative. He and his wife, Ai Ning Loh, have two children, Uma and Mia. 

The ceremony will be live-streamed and a recording posted online afterwards on the installation website for public viewing. For additional details about the chancellor, the event, past leaders and more, visit uncw.edu/installation.  

-- Caroline Cropp