College of Letters & Science Alumni News

Fall 2022

From the Dean

As I begin my second year as dean of the College of Letters and Science, I am prouder than ever to be a part of the Aggie community and ever more excited about our future. UC Davis was recently ranked No. 10 among public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report and No. 4 by Forbes among public universities. In a variety of rankings, we are listed among the top universities for student diversity, social mobility, best value and making an impact. The College of Letters and Science is at the heart of UC Davis’ excellence.

Students recognize this. Our freshman applications rose more than 9% this past year, with 35% of them underrepresented minorities and 38% the first in their families to attend college. To help them succeed, our college recently launched an undergraduate peer mentoring program.

I hope you find great pride in your alma mater and the stories of alumni success in this newsletter. Follow us on our social media channels to stay connected with exciting L&S news throughout the year. And please let us know about your news.

Sincerely,

Estella Atekwana, Dean

FEATURED NEWS

An Author and Teacher Reunion

Aggie author Jamil Jan Kochai’s second book, The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories, has brought him both acclaim and a touching reunion with a teacher who taught him to read and write English. The story collection about contemporary Afghan characters is a finalist for the 2022 National Book Award for Fiction. At a reading in Davis, California, Kochai (M.A., creative writing, ‘17) reunited with a second-grade teacher he had been trying to find for decades. His reunion with Susan Lung (pictured above) received widespread coverage in The Washington Post, on NPR and other news outlets.

Leading Tough Conversations

Coming to UC Davis broadened horizons for Rhonda Morris (B.A., English, ’87). Now as vice president and chief human resources officer at Chevron, she’s focused on opening horizons for others. The first African American woman to hold an executive post in the company’s 140-year history, Morris is a leader in developing programs and employee networks focused on diversity and inclusion. “We want to keep the conversations going, to have uncomfortable conversations and to talk about race and racism in a constructive way," she said in a recent interview with the College of Letters and Science.

Building a Virtual Closet

As an economics major with a passion for fashion, Jae Allen conceived a plan to help people declutter their closets and to keep unwanted outfits out of landfills.

Before graduating last June, Allen found his way to the UC Davis Student Startup Center, where campus and business mentors helped him flesh out his business plan. As the center’s first entrepreneur-in-residence, he is now preparing to launch his company, Ouros. “Based on our research, around 65% of people have struggles with their closet space,” he said. “We hope to build a more circular apparel ecosystem.”

UC Davis Ranks Among the Best

In ranking after ranking, UC Davis continues to stand among the nation’s best universities. Among them:

No. 10 (tie) among public universities and 38th overall, U.S. News & World Report.
No. 4 among public universities and 23rd among all U.S. universities, Forbes’ 2022 list of America’s Top Colleges.
No. 2 among public universities and 11th overall for doing good and fostering social mobility, Washington Monthly 2022 College Guide and Rankings.
No. 1 (tie) for inclusiveness, diversity and internationalization, QS USA University Rankings.

Gorman Museum Prepares for 2023 Reopening

Construction of the new home for the C.N. Gorman Museum

of Native American Art is wrapping up this fall near the UC Davis Arboretum. Museum directors will soon begin next steps for a 2023 opening.

Want to get involved in supporting the museum? Contact KT O'Connor for information on how you can help.

ALUMNI AUTHORS

From Oklahoma to California, the heroes of A Calm & Normal Heart, by Chelsea Hicks (M.S., creative writing, ’17), are young Native Americans seeking out new places to call their own inside a nation to which they do not entirely belong.

At the Corner of Fantasy and Main: Disneyland, Midlife and Churros, the fourth book of poetry by Matt Mason (M.A., English ’94) explores touchstone places and how the heart is sometimes more reliable than memory. Mason is the Nebraska State Poet and the recipient of a Pushcart Prize.

Patrick Moser (Ph.D., French, ’97) tells the story of a forgotten figure of American cultural history in Surf and Rescue: George Freeth and the

Birth of California Beach Culture. Moser, a professor at Drury University in Missouri, talked recently with UC Davis Magazine about his book.

To the North/Al norte, by León Salvatierra (M.F.A., creative writing, ’20), mixes lyrical and prose poems to explore the experience of exile in a new country. An award-winning poet, Salvatierra migrated from Nicaragua to the U.S. when he was 15. He teaches culture and literature courses at UC Davis.

In Clothing Goes to War: Creativity Inspired by Scarcity in World War II, Nan Turner (B.A., design, ‘76; M.F.A., textiles and clothing, ’10) explores the “make-do” techniques used by civilians around the world during clothing scarcity and rationing.

ALUMNI UPDATES

Jeremy Borum (B.A., music, ’01) recently orchestrated a rock opera, The Witches Seed, by composer Stewart Copeland, former drummer with The Police.

Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye (B.A., rhetoric, ’80; J.D., ’84) recently announced she will retire as chief justice of the California Supreme Court at the end of the year. UC Davis law school dean Kevin Johnson reflects on her legacy in a UC Davis Magazine article.

Rich D’Alessio (B.A., English and political science, ’92) co-produced an action horror movie, The Prey: Legend of Karnoctus, starring Danny Trejo, Adrian Paul and Nick Chinlund. The film was released over the summer on cable and various streaming platforms.

Christopher Daubert (M.F.A., art, ’88) and his wife, Dana, recently made a $1 million gift to Sacramento City College to support the college gallery and art collection. He served as curator of the former Nelson Gallery at UC Davis and the Kondos Gallery at Sacramento City College, where he taught art for 23 years.

The Sacramento Bee welcomed reporter Jenavieve Hatch (M.F.A., creative writing, ’22) to its Capitol bureau in August.

Ranked, a musical with music and lyrics by David Taylor Gomes and a book by Kyle Holmes (B.A., English, ’10; M.A.,

education, ’12) is the subject of a documentary film, My So-Called High School Rank, produced by HBO.

LitHub profiled Doug Metzger (Ph.D., English, ’11) in an article, “On the Most Ambitious Literary Podcast in the History of the World: How Does Doug Metzger Manage to Do It?”

Hannah Palmer (Ph.D., earth and planetary sciences, ’21) is working with Congress this year as a congressional science fellow.

Jennifer Reich (M.A. ’97, Ph.D. ’02, sociology), a sociology professor at the University of Colorado Denver, is vice president-elect of the American Sociological Association.

Coffee roasters Phillip Roliz (B.A., sociology, ’03) and wife Sara have a new popup La Ventana in San Francisco’s Mission District. Eater San Francisco wrote about it.

McKinna Salinas (B.A., art studio, ’18) is featured in a Washington Post article for signs she painted for a Philadelphia Trader Joe's, inspired by artworks at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

KQED described Alyssa Wang (B.S., psychology, ’17) in a feature story as the "Bay Area’s Queen of Boba" for her social media influence.

IN MEMORIAM

Thomas J. Munn, professor emeritus of theatre and dance, died in June. He was also the resident scenic and lighting designer for San Francisco Opera 1976-2001. Colleagues remember the co-creator of the Master in Fine Arts program in scenic design.

Robert J. Grigg, professor emeritus of art history, died in June. Read about his life.

Helge Olsen, professor emeritus and a founding member of the Department of Design, died in July. Read about the award-winning furniture designer.

Help Make Great Ideas a Reality

Four life-changing projects by Letters and Science students and faculty are seeking support this fall through Crowdfund UC Davis:

Positive Adolescent Development During and After COVID-19 (Center for Mind and Brain).
Department of Political Science Diversity Award to students from historically underrepresented and marginalized communities.
Improving Climate Data Communications (Science and Technology Studies).
Democracy by Participation (Department of History) to support a K-12 teacher training workshop on civic engagement and the late UC Davis law professor and former California Supreme Court justice Cruz Reynoso.