The 2020 ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ, Davis, Alumni Awards honor the accomplishments of eight dedicated alumni and friends, ranging from one of the nation’s top trial lawyers, to health care professionals improving treatments for deadly diseases, to a rising star among women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.
The 47th annual Alumni Awards Gala, a banquet event, will be held Friday, Feb. 7, at , on campus, with the theme “A Novel Night.” Register for the event .
The Cal Aggie Alumni Association, or CAAA — now serving 260,000 graduates — selected the following leaders to honor their profound impact on UC Davis and the world.
- John C. Harris ’65, of Sanger
- Davis Campbell ’68, of Davis
- Arturo J. Gonzalez ’82, of San Ramon
- Brian H. Sway ’74, of Davis
- Hope M. Bovenzi ’12, of San Jose
- David Loury ’79, Ph.D. ’84, of Incline Village, Nevada
- Bill and Nancy Roe of Davis
Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award: John C. Harris ’65
John C. Harris is receiving the prestigious Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award for his leadership in the field of agriculture and for support that has elevated UC Davis’ position as a leading agricultural university. The alumnus has been at the helm of Harris Farms, an integrated multigenerational agribusiness, since 1981. He is a former UC Davis Foundation Board trustee (1983-90) and a lifetime member of CAAA.
Harris’ contributions have helped UC Davis maintain its prominence in agriculture and animal health. He served on the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council and the School of Veterinary Medicine’s Center for Equine Health Advisory Board. Harris welcomes faculty and students to Harris Farms for learning purposes and has donated both money and horses for UC Davis teaching and research programs.
Harris continues to be active in many organizations supporting agriculture, often taking leadership roles. He has been elected to the ÁńÁ«ĘÓƵ Thoroughbred Hall of Fame and the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, in addition to being the recipient of numerous local and national awards.
Distinguished Achievement Award: Davis Campbell ’68
Davis Campbell has been an esteemed leader in public education for 50 years. He is a UC Davis Foundation trustee, chair and founding member of the School of Education’s Board of Advisors, and a senior fellow at UC Davis Center for Applied Policy in Education.
At the School of Education, Campbell made a gift to help establish the Dean’s Innovation Fund, which has been used to support outreach to graduate students from diverse backgrounds and to fund science camp scholarships for low-income elementary school children. In 2009, he gave generous gifts to establish the Guardian Teacher Scholarship, which supports former foster youths who dream of becoming teachers. The program has grown into the Guardian Professions Program and helped more than 50 former foster youths gain admission to advanced-degree programs in education and other fields.
Outstanding Alumnus Award: Arturo J. Gonzalez ’82
Arturo Gonzalez is one of the nation’s top trial lawyers and chair of Morrison & Foerster’s Commercial Litigation and Trial Practice Group. Gonzalez’s dedication to championing equity is evident not only in his career but through his philanthropic endeavors.
At UC Davis, Gonzalez has devoted time and support to the Special Transitional Enrichment Program, or STEP — the same program that helped him succeed as a first-generation college student more than 40 years ago. In 2008, Gonzalez established a scholarship at UC Davis in his parents’ name for students from farmworking families who plan to attend law school. When STEP celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016, Gonzalez contributed $40,000 to the program and issued a matching challenge to motivate others to give. He regularly visits campus to speak to STEP students, allowing them to see themselves in him as a proud Chicanx, first-generation, UC Davis alumnus who pays it forward and the first Latino partner of his international law firm.
Emil M. Mrak International Award: Brian H. Sway ’74
Brian Sway has dedicated more than 25 years to international service and leadership, recently completing work in South Africa with the Peace Corps. There, Sway has drastically improved HIV and AIDS care at public health facilities by implementing strategies to reduce wait times for appointments — bringing them down from an average of six hours to just over one.
The U.S. Department of State