March 2023 | Issue 37
A Message from the Vice Provost
Michael Rios is wearing glasses and a suit. He crosses his arms and looks directly into the camera while smiling outside in front of a couple of trees.
I am pleased to share that our first crowdfunding campaign was an incredible success.
 
Thanks to the generosity and support of our amazing community, we not only reached our goal but were able to double it! This means we can expand our graduate student funding and make an even greater impact on the next generation of leaders in public scholarship. We are grateful for every gift, and appreciate the support from donors such as Bill Lacy, the former vice provost of university outreach and international programs for UC Davis.
 
It is my hope that we will continue to strengthen our fundraising, faculty recognition and student support, among other programs. Our efforts are already gaining attention in the UC system and nationwide. I am proud of these accomplishments and look forward to continuing to lead the way in integrating community engagement into our research, teaching and learning.
 
I invite you to share your thoughts on our role and how we can support your work in community engagement. Your insights and feedback are invaluable as we continue to develop our capacity to serve community engaged scholars. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in communities in California and beyond.

In community,

Michael Rios
Vice Provost, Public Scholarship and Engagement  
Public Engagement Champion
Filmmaker Julie Wyman, associate professor of cinema and digital media, brings a deeply personal connection to UNTITLED DWARFISM PROJECT, a documentary feature film exploring the little people community’s perspectives on new pharmaceutical treatments for dwarfism.
Photo of a set from behind the scenes with two women looking directly at a monitor with other masked individuals in the background

Spotlight: Your Public Scholarship Community

Assistant Professor Benjamin Weber and Assistant Professor Shingirai Taodzera received a grant supporting their project Human Rights and Reparations in African and African American History: Lessons from South Africa for California. Weber was awarded a 2022 Public Impact Research Initiative Grant.

Poetry and prose with a public scholarship bent were shared by PSE faculty fellows Piri Ackerman-Barger and Andy Jones during a reading this month at the John Natsoulas Gallery in Davis.

The unfolding earthquake diplomacy between Armenia and Turkey has opened a possibility for real change in the lives of the peoples of both countries, according to an op-ed by PSE faculty fellows Heghnar Watenpaugh and Keith David Watenpaugh.

A Heartfelt Thank You
We are grateful to every donor who made our first crowdfunding campaign a major success. Your contributions will help two graduate students develop the skills and knowledge they need to engage with communities in meaningful ways. We appreciate your support and look forward to sharing their progress and achievements with you.
●     Genesee Dal Porto
●     Melanie Davis
●     Sandra Evans
●     Valerie Eviner
●     Carmia Feldman
●     Irva Hertz-Picciotto
●     Lynn Keehn
●     William Lacy
●     Daniel Sperling
●     Keith Watenpaugh
●     Adrian Zulian
●     Lynne Zulian
●     And many anonymous
donors
In Other News

Events and Opportunities

Supporting the Public Good
Philanthropic support plays a vital role in advancing UC Davis public scholarship mission. We invite you to support our vision of discovery, learning and engagement for the public good. 

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