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The College of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts (CHSSA) offers programs that expand knowledge and promote creativity across a wide variety of disciplines that speak to being human in important ways. CHSSA offers limitless opportunities for meaningful hands-on learning — our students take part in collaborative and interdisciplinary research and service while making a positive societal impact.
By making a gift to the CHSSA Excellence Fund during Seahawks Give, you’ll provide critical support for priority initiatives and programs across the college, increasing access to student opportunities and enhancing the Seahawk experience.
Our departments serve the arts by fostering and growing creative talent, connecting communities, defining the human experience and enriching lives. Our students explore the full breadth of expression and theory in their study and become masters of their craft, complemented by professional mentoring and skill building. Beyond our academic departments, the Office of the Arts and the landmark Kenan Auditorium are a testament to our continued commitment as a steadfast community partner for the arts.
Inclusive of the arts and with much overlap into social sciences, the humanities take us on a deep exploration of what it means to be human — through different perspectives, dimensions, cultures, theories and practical skills. Study of these disciplines imbues students with strong critical thinking, connection and decision-making skills that both inform and strengthen their personal and professional journeys.
The social sciences examine human relationships with each other, the world around us, our societal context and the power structures we live in. In these fields, research and community engagement help steer human systems to achieve and accomplish more, improve people’s lives and well-being, become more efficient and arrive at just outcomes.
- Anthropology
- Communication Studies
- Gender Studies & Research Center
- Public & International Affairs
- Sociology & Criminology
Across all CHSSA’s departments and disciplines, your support allows us to offer important scholarships, grow groundbreaking research initiatives, provide rich educational opportunities and ensure students enter the next chapter of their lives inspired, connected, and prepared.
Seahawks Give is a great time to see our campus community come together and show up in a big way for the parts of our campus they treasure the most. Plus, it’s just a fun day for sharing in games and activities and enjoying the spring weather!
But whether you were on campus or not: Thank you. Your support means that we can provide extraordinary opportunities for students like Bryce, grow and enrich our vibrant creative community, and continue providing a deeply meaningful educational experience for all our students.
Wings up!
To say that M. Shannon Morton was a pioneer at UNCW is a bit of an understatement.
Not only was she the first chair of the English department and the first Dean of Women at what was then Wilmington College, she was its first full-time teacher.
Back when the college first opened in 1947, her classes ran from 4-10 p.m. every day after New Hanover High School let out, since the school and the college shared the same building. At the time, only 12 women were enrolled at the college.
Morton became a mentor for those students, as well as an advisor for the Scriptic Society and supervisor for the campus’ first literary magazine. In 1980, UNCW named Morton Hall in her honor, where the Department of English is housed.
Her students said she embodied the college motto, Discere Aude, or Dare to Learn. And the Margaret Shannon Morton Fellowship has provided assistance for dozens of students in the Creative Writing MFA program, carrying her legacy forward and empowering students to succeed.
We invite you to show your support for our students and the literary luminaries of tomorrow by joining in on the challenge gift above. Your gift helps create waves of support!
For more than 30 years, UNCW Theatre students have polished their performance and directing skills under the instruction of Ed Wagenseller. An accomplished professional actor and a dynamic member of the campus theater community, he's already been sorely missed since his retirement in December.
Although Ed's last bow here was for directing the side-splittingly funny "The Play That Goes Wrong" — which he just won a Wilmington Theater Award for! — he, along with his family, is continuing to support our students through the Wagenseller Family Scholarship in Theatre.
Join Ed '92 and Melissa Wagenseller '92 in supporting our fantastic theater students for Seahawks Give! Check out the challenge gift above.
And we mean that literally!
Bryce Settlemier ’26 conducted impressive research on Roman gold glass medallions this year and got the chance to visit four museums on three different trips for her project.
The latest and greatest stop on her journey was Italy, where she visited the ruins of Pompeii, the Roman catacombs where the medallions were once entombed, and the Vatican, which houses the largest collection of the artifacts. Now, Bryce is bound for graduate school to pursue an M.A. in Art History and Archaeology!
Her experiences were made possible by the collective support of donors and the CHSSA Student Research grant. This Seahawks Give, your contribution can go far and create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities like this one.
Read more about Bryce’s journey.
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