Opening doors

Across UC Davis and UC Davis Health, donors are bringing to fruition capital projects that are transforming both campuses. Here’s a sneak peek at this year’s openings.

Edwards Family Athletics Center

Aggie athletes got a back-to-school gift like no other this fall: an innovative training center built just for them. The Edwards Family Athletics Center, built with support from Bruce and Diane Edwards and other dedicated donors, opened in September to boost the health, well-being and success of student-athletes on UC Davis’ 25 intercollegiate teams. The 45,000-square-foot facility houses sports medicine offices; training facilities and instruction spaces; a full-size, natural grass practice field for all sports; and a newly renovated Bob Foster Team Center.

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Class of 1968 Gateway
Class of 1968 Gateway structure

Class of 1968 Gateway

In April, the Class of 1968 Gateway was unveiled in a pre-Picnic Day celebration. The seven-foot-high, 54-foot-long metal structure welcomes all to campus from its prominent location at the corner of Howard Way and Russell Boulevard. It was built with support from the class of 1968 and their partnership with Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship.

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Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute
Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute building

Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute

The institute opens this winter as UC Davis’ new hub for state-of-the-art eye care, research to cure blinding diseases, and training for ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Grateful patient Ernest E. Tschannen, who gave $18.5 million toward the building, and other key donors celebrated its dedication this fall. The 58,000-square-foot institute will feature improved clinical care and faculty spaces, as well as the new Center for Ocular Regenerative Therapy (CORT) clinic, which is focused on research and care for patients with genetic retinal diseases.

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Wyatt Deck at the Arboretum
Wyatt Deck at the UC Davis Arboretum

Wyatt Deck at the Arboretum

This campus icon has served as a nature-based classroom and host to vibrant community events for more than 50 years; however, decades of use had caused the original redwood boards to deteriorate. Opened in August, the new and improved deck offers an ideal, accessible destination that encourages community connection and will inspire environmental education for future generations. The deck is named after Fred Wyatt, a former UC Davis volunteer, and was funded by the Unger-Yackzan family.