We have much to celebrate! In just over a week from now, more than 3,300 graduating seniors will cross the commencement stage and become our newest alumni.
This marks the first full, in-person commencement for UC Davis since the pandemic began. Guest speakers of two of the three undergraduate ceremonies are College alumni:
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Francisco Rodriguez (B.A., Chicana/o studies, ’85; M.S., community development, ’97), chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District.
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U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (B.A., political science, ’72).
Another alumna will address the Graduate Studies commencement, celebrating our newest recipients of advanced degrees:
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Laura Lindenfeld (Ph.D., cultural studies, ’03), executive director of the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and dean of the School of Communication and Journalism at Stony Brook University.
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These ceremonies — and this newsletter — spotlight an array of Aggie achievements that began with UC Davis degrees. We're proud to celebrate our alumni accomplishments. Please keep us posted on yours!
Sincerely,
Estella Atekwana, Dean
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Graduate Programs on the Rise
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Top Honors for 2 Alumni Couples
UC Davis Medals went this year to two alumni couples — Jacque and Wayne Bartholomew (pictured above), and Pam Rohrich and Karl Gerdes — for their contributions to the campus's Vision of Excellence. The Bartholomews and Pam Rohrich earned degrees in the College of Letters and Science. Read about their selection for the university's highest honor.
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Aggie Named Goldwater Scholar
Intent on pursing autism research, Lynnette Hersh began working in two
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Maurice Prize for Fiction: Call for Submissions |
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The $10,000 award, doubled in size this year, recognizes the best book-length prose fiction written by a UC Davis graduate who has not yet published or been accepted for publication by the contest deadline.
Established in 2005 by bestselling author John Lescroart in honor of his father, the prize is co-sponsored by the College of Letters and Science.
Submit a manuscript as a PDF by email to tldawley@ucdavis.edu. Remove author's name from the PDF — works will be judged anonymously. Include name, mailing address, email address and phone number in the body of the email. The winner will be announced in October.
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Exactly What You Mean, a debut novel by Ben Hinshaw (M.A., English, ’14), tells the story of a teenager who discovers a secret and finds his betrayal has the power to ruin adult lives. Hinshaw won the Maurice Prize in 2017 for his manuscript. Set in Guernsey, the island in the English Channel where he grew up, Exactly What You Mean was a BBC Between the Covers Book Club Pick. |
Jessica Ordaz (Ph.D., history, ’17), an assistant professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, won the Immigration and Ethnic History Society’s 2022 First Book Award for The Shadow of El Centro: A History of Migrant Incarceration and Solidarity.
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Andrea Ross (M.A., English, ’99) explores issues of identity and origin in Unnatural Selection: A Memoir of Adoption and Wilderness. The former park ranger talked with UC Davis Magazine about writing the book and her search for her biological families. |
In the span of 20 months, Jason Warburg (B.A., political science, ’84) lost his mother, his father and his job — and then the pandemic hit. He reflects on life’s joys and losses in a memoir, The Remembering: Reflections on Love, Art, Faith, Heroes, Grief and Baseball. Read a Q&A with UC Davis Magazine.
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Janelle Bitker (B.A., technocultural studies, ’13) is the new senior food & wine editor for the San Francisco Chronicle.
Jackii Chun (B.A., film studies, ’10) is producing a feature-length documentary, Weeping Rocks, on the role of insects in our ecosystem. It spotlights the work of UC Davis butterfly expert Art Shapiro. Read an interview in UC Davis Magazine.
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Teja Dusanapudi (B.A., English and American studies, ’21).
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Diana Garcia (B.A., economics and history, ’20).
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Brittaney Key (B.A., international relations, ’19).
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Christina Thomas, a doctoral student in Native American studies.
- Graduating senior Michael Wheeler, a history and economics double-major.
Christopher Erdmann (B.A., history, ’99) is assistant director, data leadership, for the American Geophysical Union, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
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San Francisco Chronicle reporter Matthias Gafni (B.A, English/rhetoric and communication, ’98) won first place for long-form feature in the Best of the West contest for “One Hiker’s Peak of Desperation.” The contest honors the best journalism in 14 western states. |
When First Lady Jill Biden stepped out in a brilliant blue Markarian dress, coat, gloves and matching mask during the January 2021 inauguration, Anneliese Koch (B.A., design, ’17) knew her career would never be the same.
UC Davis Magazine writes about her journey from UC Davis to the high-end fashion house. Read "In Fashion."
Diane Seleski-Stevenson (B.A., psychology, ’73) retired after a long career in social work. She lives in Colorado.
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Discover Magazine
Maruša Bradač, professor of physics and astronomy
The Atlantic
Gregory Clark, Distinguished Professor of Economics
Inverse
Simona Ghetti, professor of psychology
Scientific American
Lynne Isbell, professor of anthropology
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Discover Magazine
Sujoy Mukhopadhyay, professor of earth and planetary sciences
The Washington Post
Kathryn Olmsted, professor of history
CNN
Moradewun Adejunmobi, professor of African American and African studies
CGTN
Petr Janata, professor of psychology and at Center for Mind and Brain
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