The Honorable Aldona Woś, M.D., member of the UNCW Board of Trustees and president of the Institute of World Politics, will speak at the Spring 2025 Chancellor’s Dare to Learn Lecture. 

Woś has served in national and international roles including vice chair of the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, presidential appointee to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council and ambassador to the Republic of Estonia.  

Closer to home, Woś served on the University of North Carolina’s Board of Governors and, from 2013 to 2015, as the state’s Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. In July 2023, she was appointed to a four-year term on the UNCW Board of Trustees. 

“Dr. Woś’ remarkable personal and professional journey has led to great contributions both on the world political stage and in our state,” said Chancellor Aswani K. Volety. “She is a strong example of our university mission, as she has strived to learn and support the learning of others throughout her life.”  

The event will be held Monday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lumina Theater in the Fisher Student Center. Admission is free; however, tickets are required. Register for tickets here. 

This year’s format will be a Q&A session moderated by Aaron King, associate professor in the Department of Public and International Affairs and associate director of the Honors College. Drawing from the breadth of Woś’ varied career, topics will include leadership challenges in turbulent times, fostering international cooperation, the transformative power of higher education, building bridges between institutions and communities, and her advice for students seeking careers in leadership and public service.  

“Dr. Woś has a fascinating biography and life arc that encompasses service, medicine, education, international relations and politics,” said King. “There is so much we can learn from the various aspects of her journey, from her family history with the Holocaust to her immigration to the U.S. and her many professional contributions.” 

Woś was born in Warsaw, Poland. During WWII, her father survived Flossenburg Concentration Camp and her mother survived Nazi Germany’s child slave labor.  

She earned her M.D. at Warsaw Medical Academy and completed her internship and residency in New York City. Her career as a doctor included private practice, corporate medicine, clinical care, teaching and consulting. 

During her ambassadorship, she focused on winning the hearts and minds of the next generation of Estonian leaders, integration of the Russian-speaking population, HIV and AIDS prevention, and the preservation of Estonian culture. She received numerous awards from Estonia for her service. 

The lecture, an extension of the Campus Life Leadership Lecture Series, provides diverse perspectives from leaders across a variety of fields, encouraging the campus community to explore a wide range of ideas. The university’s Latin motto, Discere Aude, translates as “dare to learn.”