Impacts of Giving

Decoding dementia

The path to a world without dementia starts with a brain tissue sample. Researchers at the University of California, Davis are developing AI-driven tools to analyze vast digital archives of brain tissue scans — work that cannot be done at scale by humans alone — to better understand dementia and improve diagnosis and treatment.

UC Davis opens Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation

Made possible by philanthropic support, including a lead transformative gift from Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through their foundation in 2022, the new center is housed within the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences — ranked No. 1 in the nation and No. 2 in the world in agriculture and forestry.

Alum Mike Gilson wins 2026 Soderquist Award

Gilson has served as chair of the UC Davis Library Leadership Board since its founding in 2017. His leadership and personal giving have consistently propelled fundraising efforts and allowed the library to flourish.

Center for Animal Locomotion and Innovation opens

The Center for Animal Locomotion and Innovation, or CALI, at the University of California, Davis, was flying high during its grand opening ceremony on Friday, May 8.  

Give Day Hits 10-Year Milestone with Strong Support

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.

A Real Estate Gift With Lasting Care

For many donors, the idea of making a planned gift can feel complex: something reserved for “someday,” or for people with specialized financial knowledge. Joleen Lonigan and her wife, Donna Lewis, once thought the same.

Transformative gift propels UC Davis’ leadership in ag tech

The University of California, Davis, has received a gift of more than $25 million that will transform the advancement of agricultural technology and innovation for generations to come, made possible by a bequest from late philanthropist and local businessman Dan G. Best II.

Bird Flight Research Advances Drone Technology and Wild Raptor Care

Leveraging UC Davis’ historic strengths in veterinary medicine and engineering, the Center for Animal Flight and Innovation is the only facility of its kind in the United States and one of very few in the world capable of capturing images of birds in flight in exquisite detail.

Coffee Industry Leaders Give Major Collections to UC Davis Library

The donations to the UC Davis Library are from Gerald “Jerry” Baldwin, co-founder of Starbucks and former president of Peet’s Coffee; Russ Kramer, president of Hacienda La Minita and veteran of Green Mountain Coffee; and the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).

UC Davis receives $120M gift, largest ever to veterinary medicine

The University of California, Davis, today announced the largest gift ever made to veterinary medicine worldwide: $120 million from philanthropists Joan and Sanford I. Weill through the Weill Family Foundation to support its top-ranked veterinary school.

Environmental science fund supports student internships

The Environmental Science and Policy Experiential Learning Fund is a new opportunity to back the next generation of environmental leaders. Initiated by dedicated current and former faculty members Susan Harrison, Robert Johnson and Pete Richerson, this growing endowment – already hitting $200,000 thanks to their generosity and support from other faculty – will provide helpful stipends to undergraduate students majoring in Environmental Policy Analysis and Planning or Environmental Science and Management.

Renowned wireless communications expert wins UC Davis Teaching Prize

On Monday, Dec. 1, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Zhi Ding entered Wellman Hall like any other day, navigating to a near-capacity classroom on the bottom floor to begin his “Signal Analysis & Communications” lecture at the University of California, Davis. As he started teaching, however, he and his students were interrupted by a group of special guests led by Chancellor Gary S. May.

Endowed chair named for sustainable design, fashion and textiles

Gözde Göncü-Berk, associate professor of design, has been named the inaugural Maria Manetti Shrem Endowed Chair in Design, Fashion and Textiles and the founding director of the Maria Manetti Shrem Institute for Sustainable Design, Fashion and Textiles at the University of California, Davis. Her work focuses on development of soft wearable systems that sense, respond and adapt to the body to enhance health, well-being and performance.