Dateline Content

Top UC Davis Graduate Aims To Transform Experience of Aging

Julia Ann Easley — June 03, 2025 - 4:46pm

Only on annual visits to India was Avantika Gokulnatha able to help care for her now late grandfather as his health failed. But the San Jose resident endeavored to help others near her.

Gokulnatha did just that as she studied biological sciences and researched aging at the ��Ƶ, Davis. She volunteered with a local hospice, revived a student organization to help seniors with technology, and led other undergraduate volunteers at a clinic providing free medical care to uninsured and marginalized people.

A Student’s Journey to Bridge Plants, People and the Planet

Cody Kitaura — June 03, 2025 - 1:45pm

Last fall, a cohort of UC Davis undergraduate students took part in Plants, People and the Planet, as part of Quarter at Aggie Square. This experience allows students to contribute to community-based initiatives that promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals related to agriculture, environmental conservation, and the development of resilient ecosystems, especially those in the Sacramento region.

Sheep Mowers Headed to the Quad This Week

Cody Kitaura — June 03, 2025 - 1:30pm

In their fifth year of grazing around campus, the sheep mowers will munch on the Quad for the first time this week.

A series of events will be held starting tomorrow (June 4), all organized by student interns in the project that has the sheep grazing publicly in a benefit to the landscape and the mental health of the campus community.

The sheep are scheduled to graze from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

Here are organizers’ descriptions of the events:

Wednesday, June 4: Shepherds’ Art Cafe – “Ewe Brew & Create”

Next Book Project Title is Memoir of Perilous Migration

Cody Kitaura — June 03, 2025 - 12:30pm

The next title in the Campus Community Book Project is Solito: A Memoir, which tells the story of a 9-year-old’s solo journey from El Salvador to the United States to reunite with his parents.

Javier Zamora’s memoir was chosen for the book project’s 2025-26 theme, belonging. Over the next year, the campus community will be invited to participate in programming related to the theme and the book itself, culminating in a March 10 talk by the author at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts.

2025 Summer Sessions: More Students, Classes, Events

Cody Kitaura — June 03, 2025 - 11:17am

UC Davis Summer Sessions launches June 13 and features more for everyone this year with more students, more virtual courses and more co-curricular activities.

Nearly 14,400 undergraduates are currently registered for summer courses, about 9% more than the 2024 enrollment at the same time. Enrollment is also up for other students, including high school students, community college students, community members and other UC undergraduates.

CHANCELL-ING: Aggies Excel in Academics, Athletics

Cody Kitaura — June 02, 2025 - 9:00am

Commencement season is here, one of my favorite times of the year. It’s when we celebrate collectively a major milestone in the lives of our students and their families.

With a degree from UC Davis, students are well equipped for success in the next chapters of their lives, whether it’s entering the workforce, graduate school or whatever path comes next.

Student-Led School Empowers 1,200 Afghan Girls

Anila Mary Lijo — May 27, 2025 - 1:23pm

In 2022, Walid Jailani, an undergraduate at UC Davis, launched an initiative to combat educational inequality in Afghanistan. Jailani is this month’s guest on Face to Face With Chancellor May.

Faculty Speakers Named for Undergraduate Commencements

Julia Ann Easley — May 27, 2025 - 12:20pm

The faculty members selected to speak to thousands of graduating students and guests at the five undergraduate commencements at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center in June exemplify the best in teaching.

Together, they are contributing to excellence in the field and have won awards for teaching from their academic departments, their colleges, the Academic Senate, UC Davis as a whole and beyond.

The speakers, listed in the chronological order of the ceremonies, are:

Among the Academies: Leading the Total-Body Imaging Revolution

Cody Kitaura — May 27, 2025 - 11:30am

If he’d pursued his first love, Simon Cherry might be unraveling the mysteries of the universe through astronomy instead of developing new types of medical imaging technology.

Memorial Day a Reminder to Serve Others

Cody Kitaura — May 27, 2025 - 9:05am

Last week’s Memorial Day Ceremony was a chance for many to honor personal connections and discuss ways to honor the memories of the Aggies who died in military service to this country.

The ceremony was held Thursday (May 22) outside the Memorial Union, which is so named in honor of the 136 Gold Star Aggies who gave their lives in military service dating back to World War I.