University of North Carolina Wilmington’s new chancellor sees great promise in the future of higher education in North Carolina in general, and at his new institution in particular.

Speaking at a get-acquainted media forum Wednesday, Jose “Zito” Sartarelli said, “There are more opportunities than challenges.”

While acknowledging that there are issues that must be addressed, such as graduation rates, funding cuts, and controlling the rise in tuition and fees, he said he was excited at the prospect of new programs  - citing, as examples, the potential of online courses and a greater emphasis on international education.

Sartarelli noted that UNCW’s incoming freshman class is “one of the largest classes ever,” and  praised the quality of programs the university offers.

“We have some stellar programs here, such as nonfiction and creative writing, marine biology, chemistry, accounting and nursing,” he said, adding that the university must determine how to organize itself so that it devotes the resources and talent necessary to make those programs shine.

The new chancellor said his priorities, in the coming months, will be to guide a strategic planning process that will conclude by the end of the calendar year, and to spend time with members of the faculty and staff one-on-one, getting to know them and picking their brains for ideas and information about issues.

“That will be important going forward, to be in a position to set up goals and objectives,” he said.

Sartarelli, who assumed his new role at UNCW July 1, comes to the university from West Virginia University, where he was dean of the College of Business and Economics and the university's chief global officer. Prior to entering academia in 2010, Sartarelli had a 30-year career in the global pharmaceutical industry.

A native of Brazil, Sartarelli completed his bachelor's degree in business administration at the Sao Paulo School of Business Administration and continued his education at Michigan State University as a Fulbright scholar. At MSU he earned an MBA in marketing and doctoral degree in business administration.

Read more about Zito Sartarelli's vision for UNCW and how he aims to realize that vision in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal's July 17 print edition.