Avanza (HSI)

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Avanza

Advancing Student Access and Success at UC Davis

Join us for the Avanza Rising Scholars Conference on May 16!

Avanza Talent is everywhere. Opportunity lets it rise.

Avanza is UC Davis’s institutional framework for advancing student access and success as a Hispanic-Serving Institution. It aligns people, programs, and resources across the university to address longstanding barriers to access and strengthen pathways for students.
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Access to higher education, student support systems, and student success are connected to California’s broader economy and workforce. When students are able to enroll, persist, and complete their education, the benefits extend beyond the university to communities across the state. 
Avanza is all about social mobility and the public impact of education.

 

9,310

UC Davis undergraduate and graduate students identified as Hispanic in Fall 2024

$425.8M

Total gift aid provided to California resident undergraduates in 2024-25

5,498

practicing health professionals in California trained at UC Davis

El Centro

Bienvenidos and welcome! El Centro is a welcoming space and open to all students, regardless of identity, who are interested in exploring and understanding the Chicanx and Latinx diasporic experiences and engaging in productive dialogue and community with others.

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Celebrating Avanza (Video)

This video, presented during the Latinx Enrollment Milestone Celebration at the Mondavi Center on November 22, 2024, showcases a collection of photos from recent years, celebrating the diversity and vibrancy of our Avanza community.

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Avanza Rising Scholars Conference

For students and families exploring college pathways, resources, and support.

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An Ecosystem of Support

Avanza is not a single program. It is a coordinated approach that connects existing resources, initiatives, and stakeholders across the university ecosystem to advance student success in a sustained and measurable way.
Resources for Students
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Why UC Davis?

As a leading R1 research institution and public university committed to serving the people of California, UC Davis brings together research, practice, and partnerships to improve educational opportunity for the state’s diverse communities—past, present, and future. Its Hispanic-Serving Institution designation strengthens research and funding aligned with Proposition 209 and University of California policy, grounded in institutional history and national scholarship on student success and servingness.
Opportunities for Research and Practice
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Discover the Legacy of the Pioneros

Embark upon a journey through UC Davis’ evolving Avanza history, centering the experiences, leadership, and contributions that have shaped its commitment to access and servingness. Through research, reflection, and archival exploration, this series offers a deeper understanding of how the Pioneros’ legacy is woven into the university’s past, present, and future.
Read the History Experience the 2023 Avanza Showcase

Upcoming Events Latest News

Read stories that showcase campus and community efforts supporting student success, equity, and opportunity. If your work aligns with the HSI mission, we invite you to share your story and help amplify this collective impact.
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Read the Latest Avanza News

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CAMPOS Scholar Verónica Martínez Cerdeño Honored for Bridging Neuroscience and Community Engagement

  • by UC Davis Staff

Verónica Martínez Cerdeño is being honored with the Distinguished Scholarly Public Service Award by the UC Davis Academic Senate for her exceptional work connecting neuroscience research with meaningful community engagement. As a professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the School of Medicine, CAMPOS scholar, and a member of the MIND Institute, Martínez Cerdeño studies brain development and neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, with an emphasis on ensuring that scientific discovery benefits the communities it aims to serve.

Statement from the Avanza Initiative on Upcoming K-16 Student Conference

  • by UC Davis Staff

In May 2026, the Avanza Initiative is preparing to host its annual conference, which supports K–16 students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in higher education. Our mission is to serve our communities by encouraging students to pursue a college degree. In the past, this event has been known as the César Chávez Leadership Conference.

View a list of previous events and programming
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving institution (AANAPISI)
California Black Serving Institution (BSI)

A Shared UC Commitment to Access and Opportunity

Avanza is part of a broader University of California commitment to expanding access and opportunity in alignment with its public mission. Across the UC system, campuses are supported in examining barriers, strengthening pathways, and improving how institutions serve students through coordinated and sustained action.

University of California Systemwide Initiative

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