Message from Chancellor: Welcome Back, Seahawks

Dear Seahawks, 

Welcome to a new academic year at UNCW! As we take flight into the fall semester, I’m filled with pride and excitement. Like our Seahawk mascot, we rise together, catching the same updraft of purpose, strength and unity. Whether you’re stretching your wings for the first time here or returning for another chapter, you are part of a flock where every voice matters and every effort lifts us higher.

Over the weekend, about 5,600 new and returning students moved into UNCW housing, bringing fresh energy and momentum to our campus. With estimated enrollment at 19,500, including about 3,600 graduate students, and retention projected around 88%, our wings are strong and the wind is at our backs.

UNCWelcome is already in full swing, with events to help you explore campus, make connections and chart your flight path for the year ahead. HawkFest set the tone with Seahawk spirit, live entertainment and a dazzling drone show that lit up the night sky.

Over the summer, we also celebrated the reopening of the historic Wise Alumni House – restored to reflect the loyalty, generosity and resilience that define the Seahawk spirit.

Strong leadership continues to propel our university forward, and this year we welcome new guides to help us navigate the currents ahead. Dr. Rob Burrus, who joined our community 25 years ago as a faculty member and recently served as the longtime dean of the Cameron School of Business, stepped up as interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Over the summer, Dr. Michael Wilhelm ’22 Ed.D. became our new chief of staff, bringing deep institutional knowledge and a global vantage point to help us spot opportunities on the horizon. With leaders like these at the helm, our flight path remains steady and sure. Higher education faces strong crosswinds nationwide, but UNCW’s course is clear. Strong enrollment, dedicated faculty and staff, and the unwavering support of alumni and partners keep us climbing to new altitudes.

From championship-winning athletics and a thriving arts scene to many academic experiences and student-life activities, there are countless ways to join in, connect and strengthen the bonds that make our community so extraordinary. At UNCW, we share more than a campus — we share a commitment to lift each other up and soar toward a future full of promise. Let’s keep our eyes on the horizon, our wings ready and our hearts open to the connections that make our community strong, this year and every year.

Yours in Seahawk Spirit, 

Aswani K. Volety 
Chancellor