Wesley K Porter

Wesley (Wes) K. Porter is a proud alumnus of the University of North Carolina Wilmington whose journey with the university has come full circle. After earning his Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UNCW and beginning his career as a nurse, he returned to the university with a desire to contribute to the institution that had played such an important role in shaping his personal and professional growth.
Today, Wes works at the intersection of community engagement, health equity, education, and workforce development. He is passionate about creating opportunities that connect students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners through events, applied learning, community-engaged scholarship, and collaborative problem-solving. His work focuses on building meaningful partnerships, developing innovative programs, and creating pathways that strengthen both communities and the future workforce.
Wes is currently pursuing a Master of Healthcare Administration at UNCW. His professional interests include community-engaged scholarship, educational leadership, healthy aging, intergenerational learning, staff development & lifelong learning, and developing systems that help people and organizations thrive.

Education

M.H.A., (In Progress), University of North Carolina Wilmington
B.S. Nursing, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Professional Service

Wes contributes to the advancement of CHHS and UNCW through shared governance, leadership development, strategic planning, and community engagement. Through leadership roles across the university, he works to strengthen staff engagement, support organizational effectiveness, advance community-engaged initiatives, and foster collaboration across academic and administrative units. His service reflects a commitment to developing people, improving systems, and helping shape the future of the institution.

President, Healthcare Administration Graduate Student Association (2025–Present)
Chair, UNCW Staff Senate Engagement Committee (2024–Present)
Chair, CHHS Staff Advisory Council (2024–Present)
Community Engagement & Impact Advisory Council (2024–Present)
Community Engagement Advisory Board (2024–2026)
Interprofessional Education Advisory Council (2024–2025)
Staff Priorities Committee (2024–2025)
Senate Committee Review Board (2024–2025)
Resiliency Task Force (2023–2025)
Member, CHHS Staff Advisory Council (2023–2024)
Rural Health Task Force (2023–2024)

Community Engagement

Wes is committed to building authentic, reciprocal partnerships that connect university resources with community priorities. His work focuses on creating meaningful opportunities for students, faculty, staff, and community members to learn and grow together through community-engaged scholarship, workforce development, health equity initiatives, and applied learning experiences. Through collaborative partnerships, he helps develop programs and pathways that strengthen communities while expanding educational opportunities for future health and human services professionals.

Co-Chair, Health & Human Services Week Task Force (2025-Present)
AAC&U Conference on Global Learning Planning Committee (2025-Present)
Community Engaged Scholars Academy Program Support (2024-Present)
Maternal Health Summit Planning Committee (2024-Present)

Honors & Awards

College of Health & Human Services Value Coin, 2026