As our Seahawk family continues to grow, we want to ensure our students have what they need to thrive once they’re on campus. Investing in scholarships, applied learning awards and fellowships will not only set new standards for academic excellence but also enrich our university’s culture.
I can say from my own experience and other students I’ve talked to in my field, we’re asking these questions because we’re passionate about marine science,” says Ph.D. student Mariko Polk '15M, of her work to protect and preserve our coastal resources.
“We’re going to make a difference with the research we’re doing.”

UNCW faculty members place the highest value on teaching and research, and serve as links to industries our students want to enter. Philanthropy helps us recruit practitioner-scholars like Thomas Williamson ’94,’96M, who returned to UNCW to solve a problem he encountered during his 20 years in the pharmaceutical field.
I thought it would be a great opportunity to work with students just starting their academic careers and ushering them through the pharma business process so that by the time they graduate, they don’t need much extra training,” says Williamson, the inaugural Yousry Sayed Distinguished Professor.

Through applied learning experiences, our students build their resumes while serving our local and regional communities. Increased investment will help us add and enhance programs like the Betty Stike Education Laboratory.
Many institutions require tutoring as a field experience, but this is a community-based service that provides teaching opportunities for our students as a mandatory part of our program,” says Director Brian Brinkley ’93,’99M. “We’re the only lab of this type in North Carolina and only one of three in the nation.”

State funding for new buildings – like Veterans Hall – has transformed our campus. But private giving maximizes the opportunities those spaces can provide for our students, faculty, student-athletes and community. See for yourself in this virtual tour »
Veterans Hall is more innovative than a typical classroom building with faculty and staff offices,” says College of Health and Human Services Dean Charles Hardy. With a human cadaver laboratory and Interprofessional Teaching Clinic, Veterans Hall “has been designed to provide transformational experiences for our students to engage with the larger community to enhance health and quality of life.”
