This article is written by New Student Programs(Division of Student Affairs), which is comprised of Orientation and First Year Experience. Our team is dedicated to supporting newstudents' transition into and through UC Davis.
UC Davis students relax in hammocks in the Quad, as turkeys wander by. The quad and Memorial Union are popular locations year-round, including the summer. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
UC Davis Summer Sessions offers hundreds of courses to current students and the community. But there is much more to take advantage of, if you know where to look. This year, programmatic offerings include a free writing academy, increased virtual classes, events for bothin-person and remote students as well as support services from campus units.
From alligators and sea turtles in the Florida Keys to penguins in Antarctica, UC Davis veterinary medicine alum Dr. Doug Mader ’79, M.S. ’82, DVM ’86, Residency ’88 has spent nearly four decades caring for exotic animals and wildlife around the world.
The faculty at UC Davis are a constant source of inspiration, and the Chancellor’s Fellows stand out among them. These early-career scholars are selected for their exceptional research achievements and receive the distinction of carrying the chancellor’s imprimatur for five years.
Each Chancellor’s Fellow is awarded $25,000 to support innovative elements of their research that might otherwise go unfunded. In many cases, these projects also create valuable, hands-on lab opportunities that help students build skills for their future careers.
It’s one thing to study microbiology. It’s another to apply that learning toward making an impact on the community through medicine.
Annie Wang followed similar logic when she applied to work in graphic design as a first-year at the University of California, Davis.
For Wang – who hails from Ottawa, ON, Canada – choosing UC Davis made sense because it simultaneously offered a supportive, relaxed environment and a rigorous microbiology program.
“I also really like the warm weather here,” Wang said.
Marking its 10th anniversary over Picnic Day weekend, the UC Davis community rallied for Give Day 2026 to celebrate a decade of impact. With nearly 4,500 donations made both online and in person, this year’s event raised almost $3.9 million. Since its launch in 2017, Give Day has raised more than $32 million from over 56,000 donors.
This year, our community is coming together for a very special milestone—the 10th annual Give Day at UC Davis. For a decade, Aggies have united for this 29-hour celebration of generosity, raising vital support for UC Davis Health, our veterinary hospitals and programs across the UC Davis campus.
This year’s honorees are advancing global health, driving business innovation, championing equity and transforming the future of science and food systems. Across industries and continents, they pair professional excellence with a deep commitment to UC Davis — expanding opportunity and shaping a better future for all.
