Annual Report
Value: We honor the unique experiences of others with dignity and respect, commit to the highest professional and ethical standards, and educate students in an open and accountable environment.
Principle: Prioritize student growth and success in all decisions.
Value: We cultivate a community that fosters a profound sense of belonging, empowering students to broaden their perspectives, embrace new experiences, and actively engage in collaborative learning and community involvement, aligning with high-impact educational practices that enhance student engagement and success.
Principle: Create inclusive spaces where all students feel seen and valued.
Value: We honor the unique experiences of others with dignity and respect, commit to the highest professional and ethical standards, and educate students in an open and accountable environment.
Principle: Act with transparency, fairness, and ethical responsibility.
Value: We value collaboration as a cornerstone for success and hold a strong belief that working together with openness and respect leads to harnessing varied viewpoints, strengths, innovative solutions, and a stronger community.
Principle: Break down silos to coordinate across departments.
Value: We emphasize engagement as a vital path to personal growth and learning, building community, fostering intellectual curiosity, cultivating civic responsibility, and developing leaders by actively involving students in the campus environment and the broader community through experiential learning.
Principle: Encourage learning through meaningful involvement and co-curricular experiences.
Value: We prioritize a holistic approach to wellbeing, recognizing it as a dynamic state essential for personal and academic growth, and promote the exploration of physical, social, emotional, occupational, financial, intellectual, spiritual, and sustainable aspects to enhance meaningful involvement and overall campus culture.
Principle: Promote holistic wellness across all dimensions of student life.
Student Affairs engaged in an intentional self-assessment and evaluation of the division in alignment with national best practices to provide a road map for strategic adaptability and efficiency.
Looking Back on the Year
2024-25 Priorities and Accomplishments
- Guided by enrollment projections and a desire to accommodate transfer students, Housing and Residence Life leased additional beds at the off-campus apartment complex, Plato’s Loft. The department also initiated the planning process for construction of a new on-campus residence hall by contracting with a design firm and engaging in the advanced planning design process.
- Campus Life developed and implemented a new initiative to expand graduate student involvement, offering 35 programs that engaged more than 500 students.
- Student Affairs Assessment, Research, and Planning conducted two major surveys assessing UNCW’s work-based learning High-Impact Practice (HIP) and the undergraduate student experience.
- The Career Center partnered with faculty from each academic college to strengthen classroom connections through Career Center led presentations, class assignments, and workshops on further enhancing skills in resume-writing, preparing for artificial intelligence in their careers, networking, and related professional skills.
- The establishment of the Student Success Resource Center unit within Campus Life enabled greater alignment of supports and services focused on student success, community development, cultural celebration, and cohesive center operations.
- Transition Programs strengthened the Seahawks First initiative to support first-generation students through a partnership with Academic Affairs that provided scholarships to 39 students.
- The Inclusive Futures Program, a postsecondary education program for individuals with intellectual disabilities, established collaborations with faculty to integrate certificate curriculum into academic courses, partnered with campus partners to develop application, financial aid, and course registration processes, and admitted five students for the program’s inaugural cohort.
- Campus Recreation officially opened the UNCW Disc Golf Course in Spring 2025. The first ever Intramural Disc Golf League was also hosted in the spring.
- Student support capacity was strengthened through expanded services in the Disability Resource Center and enhanced case management support in the Office of the Dean of Students, including the addition of two Disability Specialists and a new Case Manager.
- Campus Life assessed the ongoing financial and operational feasibility of Beach Blast and identified a new on-campus tradition called HawkFest to be established August 2025.
- Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) elevated the annual Meet the Greeks event through live music and a food truck, fostering a more dynamic and engaging experience for students.
- Established a Student Affairs Communications and Marketing (SACM) Unit to advance cohesive communication and engagement across the division.
- In partnership with Campus Life’s marketing team, Vice Chancellor Reed Davis shared weekly communications to students throughout the academic year via the Hawk eNews digital newsletter.
I am pleased to share the Division of Student Affairs 2024–2025 Annual Report, which captures a pivotal year we embraced as our Year of Self-Discovery. This theme reflected both a mindset and a strategy: rooted in reflection, learning, and intentional progress in service of our students and the broader UNCW community.
Throughout the year, Student Affairs engaged in a comprehensive examination of our programs, structures, and impact. Guided by national best practices, an external program review, and meaningful input from students, staff, and campus partners, we took an honest look at how our work aligns with student needs today and positions us for the future. This period of self-study strengthened our foundation and clarified priorities for the next phase of the division’s evolution.
At the same time, the year was marked by tangible accomplishments across the division. We expanded access to student support, strengthened wellbeing and belonging initiatives, enhanced career readiness and experiential learning opportunities, and invested in programs that foster connection, leadership, and personal growth. From new and expanded services to innovative efforts supporting first-generation students, graduate students, and students with disabilities, each advancement reflects our commitment to elevating the Seahawk experience.
None of this work happens without the dedication and collaboration of our Student Affairs staff and campus partners. I am deeply grateful for their creativity, care, and persistence in ensuring that UNCW remains a place where students are supported not only academically, but also in discovering who they are and who they aspire to become.
As you review this report, I hope you see both the impact of the past year and the momentum we are carrying forward. The Year of Self-Discovery has positioned us to move ahead with clarity, purpose, and optimism as we continue shaping a student-centered environment where every Seahawk can grow, belong, and succeed.
In Seahawk Pride,
Christine Reed Davis, Ed.D.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Contact Student Affairs
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Phone: 910.962.3117
Fax: 910.962.3905
Academic Year Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (excluding holidays)
Summer Office Hours
Monday - Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.