Arnulfo Herrera, a staff member at UC Davis who now works at the front desk in Mrak Hall, has spent years in different roles across campus. From earlier work in Student Housing Dining Services to his current position in a more public-facing role, his experience reflects a shift from behind-the-scenes support to direct interaction with students, families, and visitors.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2026 Chancellor’s Achievement Awards for Inclusive Excellence. These awards honor individuals whose work advances the campus’s Principles of Community through exemplary service, meaningful mentorship, scholarship with broad community impact, outreach in partnership with local communities, and sustained efforts that promote inclusion, understanding and opportunity for all.
After 33 years of dedicated service to University of California, Davis, Mikael Villalobos, Ed.D., associate vice chancellor for campus community relations, will begin his retirement on July 1, 2026.
A new report from Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE) highlights UC Davis’ leadership in strengthening connections between education systems and workforce opportunities across Northern California.
Through the work of Inclusive Excellence staff, UC Davis has led the university’s participation in the statewide K–16 Education Collaborative, coordinating partnerships across the Sacramento region, North State and Redwood Coast. This work brings together K–12 schools, community colleges, universities and industry partners to create clearer, more aligned pathways from education to high-demand careers including health care, education and engineering.
The report finds that intentional coordination across these partners is helping address long-standing gaps between education systems. By mapping transitions, improving data sharing and expanding dual enrollment opportunities, the collaboratives are making it easier for students to move successfully from one stage of their education to the next.
UC Davis’ unique role across three regions has helped align efforts at scale, supporting nearly 900,000 students across 22 counties, including rural and tribal communities.
Together, these partnerships are building a more connected and responsive education ecosystem that supports student success, strengthens workforce development and advances economic mobility.
Read the full report: https://edpolicyinca.org/publications/k-16-partnerships
Four graduates of the first graduating class of the Redwood SEED Scholars program at UC Davis are taking a new step in their journey toward independence: living together in a shared home in Davis while working, managing daily responsibilities and building lives rooted in community.
Serving as a Student Advisor to the Chancellor at the University of California, Davis, Emiliano Nolasco embodies the intersection of student leadership and community engagement. In this role, he meets regularly with Chancellor Gary S. May to bring student perspectives into campus decision-making, championing initiatives that enhance student life for diverse populations across the university.
UC Davis faculty experts are helping advance campuswide dialogue on global migration through the 2025–2026 Campus Community Book Project, which centers on Solito by Javier Zamora. As part of the initiative, scholars affiliated with the UC Davis Global Migration Center convened for a public panel that explored the social, economic, legal and human dimensions of migration, connecting academic research with the lived experiences reflected in the book.
On January 13, the Yolo County Board of Supervisors presented a proclamation honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and proclaiming January 19, 2026, as Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Yolo County.
At the invitation of Supervisor Lucas Frerichs, Renetta Garrison Tull, vice chancellor for inclusive excellence at University of California, Davis, along with Garth Lewis, Yolo County Office of Education Superintendent, joined the Board meeting to accept the proclamation on behalf of the university.
On a sunny fall afternoon, the Activities and Recreation Center ballroom buzzed with music, laughter and conversation. A giant balloon arch adorned the entrance and dancers cheered on the more than 100 guests who arrived to celebrate the culmination of the 35th anniversary of the UC Davis Principles of Community.
When Malala Yousafzai visited UC Davis to discuss her new memoir Finding My Way, she offered the audience a rare look beyond the public figure the world thinks it knows. In the conversation, she shared how the book grew from a desire to reclaim her own narrative — not by revisiting the violence that made her famous, but by exploring the years that followed: adjusting to life in the U.K., navigating the awkwardness of adolescence, and learning how to be a young woman under the weight of global expectations.
Conversation on mentorship, leadership and academic success — mixed with a little friendly banter — filled the Manetti Shrem conference room on April 4 as UC Davis hosted Inspiration from the Presidents, featuring Chancellor Gary S. May, President Darryll Pines from the University of Maryland, College Park, and President Lisa Cardoza from American River College.
UC Davis Womxn in Technology— a new employee resource group (ERG) within the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion—recently broke a DEI funding record during the university’s most recent crowdfunding campaign.
