Chief of Staff Michael Wilhelm Announces Retirement from UNCW

After a long and successful career in higher education, including a decade of dedicated service to UNCW, Chief of Staff Michael Wilhelm will retire in February 2026. 

Wilhelm ’22Ed.D. has been a consistent and collaborative leader at UNCW, bringing energy, administrative expertise and a global perspective to every role he has held. Before stepping into the chief of staff position in 2025, he spent years strengthening UNCW’s international partnerships, supporting students and scholars from around the world and helping expand education abroad opportunities that have enriched countless Seahawk experiences. 

“Dr. Wilhelm’s strategic insight and collaborative spirit have helped UNCW soar in meaningful ways,” said Chancellor Aswani K. Volety. “His leadership has left a bright and lasting mark on the university and its global engagement efforts. His colleagues and I thank him for his service and wish him all the best moving forward.” 

Wilhelm is an accomplished administrator whose professional achievements include: receiving a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Taiwan; securing numerous grants to support international education initiatives; and earning national recognition with his colleagues for the university through the NAFSA Senator Paul Simon Award for Internationalization.  

“Serving UNCW has been an honor,” he said. “Across the university, faculty, staff and administrators are united in their focus on the same essential mission: student success. I am proud of the teams I have worked alongside and grateful for the support I have received from Chancellor Volety as well as current and former colleagues both at UNCW and at our partner institutions around world.” 

UNCW will share updates on the process to fill the chief of staff role as they become available.