At UC Davis, the UN Sustainable Development Goals come to life through student leadership and community partnerships. Discover how a Chair Share event at Lake Spafford connected nature, mental health, and equity while highlighting how Global Affairs empowers students to turn local action into global impact.
Growing up as the daughter of Palestinian immigrants, Maya Sahtout learned early on how to bridge cultures. Those experiences sparked a passion for medicine that led her from Bolivia to Peru, where she explored global health, traditional healing practices, and the power of culturally responsive care.
The Peter and Marion London Global Learning Expansion Grant Program provides funding for faculty to develop or enhance global components in their courses, thus enriching the academic experience and equipping students with essential global competencies.
Aliki Dragona’s work reaches students and faculty across UC Davis, from the Writing Center to study abroad in Greece to Teaching for Global Learning. Her approach to global learning is rooted in connection, curiosity and helping students see the world through broader context.
Discover how healthy soil in home gardens supports biodiversity, food security and climate resilience while advancing global sustainability in this series intended to explore the connection between soil and the SDGs.
International Agricultural Development graduate student Meena Pandey is advancing sustainable agriculture through global learning experiences supported by Global Affairs. From China to Egypt, her international research and cross-cultural collaborations are shaping her future as a global agricultural leader.
From leading UC Davis’s inaugural SDG Symposium to studying sustainable cities across Northern Europe, graduate student Judi Eppele is turning her passion for environmental education into global action. Discover how her experiences at UC Davis are preparing her to tackle climate and sustainability challenges around the world.
The 2026 Global Learning Conference brought students together to explore what it means to become compassionate global leaders through inspiring presentations, networking, and hands-on learning. From healthcare equity to study abroad preparation, attendees gained valuable insights, built meaningful connections, and discovered new ways to make an impact in an increasingly interconnected world.
From never leaving the country to studying human rights in Chile and conducting fieldwork in Rwanda, Chely Saens transformed her UC Davis experience into a global journey of purpose. Through study abroad and hands-on work with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, she discovered how education, sustainability, and policy intersect across cultures. Read how her travels are shaping a future in data analytics—and beyond.
Aubrey Vanson, a third-year design major and art history minor, loves all things creative and is deeply passionate about how creative disciplines are essential to her everyday practice. This past summer, Aubrey participated in the study abroad program Design in Japan, working to further explore the ways in which her designs could convey meaning.
