Friday, April 16, 2004

Wilmington, N.C. - Rosemary DePaolo, the third chancellor and sixth leader of UNCW took her oath of office today during a 10 a.m. ceremony on the lawn of Hoggard Hall under a cloudless, spring sky. The installation’s ambitious theme, “Soaring to Greatness,” is inspired by DePaolo’s industrious aspirations for the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. DePaolo challenged the university to focus on excellence in teaching, diversity and internationalization in order “to place UNCW in a position of unquestioned preeminence among midsized public universities in the Southeast, at least.”

“To get there, we need to make waves.” DePaolo asserted as she addressed approximately 1,600 attendants of the installation ceremony. “These wave-making endeavors--creating an innovative teaching research/model, demanding diversity and internationalism, inventively pursuing the resources that will enable our faculty and students to excel, and becoming intensely regionally engaged are what my university, our university has dedicated itself to achieve,” DePaolo said.

The celebration included a Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune color guard and a flag processional representing over 30 nationalities of international students at UNCW. Joe Hickman conducted the UNC Wilmington Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and members of the UNCW Wind Symphony for the processional music and invocation. An inaugural song, “Untraveled Worlds” by Paul Halley was performed as well.

Introductory speeches and greetings were delivered by Jeff D. Etheridge, chair of the UNCW Board of Trustees; Richard H. Moore, treasurer of the State of North Carolina; Hannah D. Gage, a member of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors; Mary Adams, vice chair of the faculty assembly of the University of North Carolina; Daniel Noland, president of UNCW Faculty Senate; Karen Thompson, chair of UNCW Staff Advisory Council; Zachary Wynne, president of the UNCW Student Government Association; and D. Ray Cockrell, chair of the UNCW Alumni Association.

Molly Corbett Broad, president of the University of North Carolina, presided over the installation. Broad recognized the extensive task before the chancellor and UNCW’s good fortune of having an accomplished leader in DePaolo.

“Chancellor DePaolo, we look to you today for the vision to carry UNC Wilmington into an even greater future. Your demonstrated leadership and your deep understanding of its mission and purpose bring us to this moment in UNCW’s history.”

Fred Chappell, former poet laureate of North Carolina, professor at University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a personal friend of the chancellor’s, penned a poem, ”Offices of the Day,” for the occasion of the installation.

DePaolo’s oath of office was delivered by the honorable Ernest Berlin Fullwood, Fifth District Senior Resident Superior Court Judge, a member of the UNCW class of 1966 and one of UNCW’s first African-American alumni.



In her address DePaolo recognized the many historical decisions by the founders and previous leaders of UNCW. She praised them for having the foresight and ambition to imagine a university beyond its present day capacities. Then, DePaolo took a moment to reflect on the importance of the university’s previous chancellor, James Leutze.

“Over the succeeding 13 years, Jim Leutze, in the phrase I’ve heard from many, many people, ‘put UNCW on the map,’” she said. With this statement the crowd rose to their feet and gave Leutze, in attendance on the platform, a standing ovation.

DePaolo credited another notable factor in UNCW’s development to the local support the initial school, Wilmington College, received by way of three separate tax increases.

“This university grew from the hearts, minds and pocketbooks of our citizens,” DePaolo said. “Their inspiring commitment can never be forgotten. It epitomizes the highest ideal of public engagement, and conversely the obligations public universities owe to their communities and their regions.”

DePaolo outlined the current needs of the university and her ideas on how she will be able to continue the commendable growth UNCW has already achieved.

“We will work in the coming years to ensure that people believe in us and, so, invest in us, with the fullest confidence that their support will help us soar to greatness.”

DePaolo concluded her address with a confident vision of UNCW’s future.

“We know who we are, and who we want to be, and it will be my role as the leader of this incredible institution to ensure that we get there. UNCW will make waves; will, with your help, soar to greatness.”

For a copy of Chancellor DePaolo’s complete remarks please see www.uncw.edu/chancellor/installation/speech.html. For a copy of Fred Chappell’s poem “Offices of the Day,” please see www.uncw.edu/chancellor/installation/poem.html.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Mimi Cunningham, university relations, 910/962-3171 or cunninghamm@uncw.edu.