Italy is a second home to Mary Puma and Eivind Lange III ’77, who have visited there for over 40 years and built a family residence in the Umbria region. Their lifelong love of the country inspired them to give $1 million to support engagement and research programs in Italy for UC Davis students and faculty. 

“We want to give UC Davis overall a chance to get more involved with Italy,” said Lange. “Increasing the international exposure of students helps them to not only get their degree, but to experience another part of the world.”

UC Davis third-year biochemistry and molecular biology major Vyoma Bhanap wants to change the world through dance. In April, the Donald A. Strauss Scholarship Foundation Committee awarded Bhanap $15,000 to implement her proposal, Dance Bhoomi. This project uses the power of dance — specifically, dance therapy — to safely bridge the mind-body disconnect that often occurs in children who experience constant trauma.

In 2023, UC Davis Global Affairs awarded 59 free passports to UC Davis undergraduate students through the U.S. Passport Grant Program, thanks in part to the generosity of a unique gift from the Sullivan family.

Four faculty and staff members from UC Davis are being recognized for their outstanding global engagement work with two key awards: the Chancellor’s Award for International Engagement and the Excellence in Teaching for Global Learning Award. These awards recognize the outstanding work of UC Davis faculty and staff in international education, research and service.