Meet the six Critical Language Scholarship winners (the most ever!) mastering Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi, Japanese, and Chinese this summer—and the two Donald A. Strauss scholarship recipients whose projects address systemic health inequities through community development.

In today’s world, we need to build the widest range of connections to address global challenges. The Mandela Washington Fellows are determined to create a better tomorrow for all through their expertise and growing leadership in engineering, energy, sustainability and many other fields. I’m proud of UC Davis’ longstanding support of this program and the nearly 130 Mandela Washington Fellows we’ve hosted.

According to one estimate, the global refugee population has more than doubled over the past decade to 26 million. Professor Keith Watenpaugh, director of the Human Rights Studies program at UC Davis, leads an innovative project to help refugee students start or continue their university education — even as they are displaced and on the move. In this episode of The Backdrop, Watenpaugh discusses the Article 26 Backpack project, UC Davis’ Human Rights Studies program and his rethinking of the history of humanitarianism.

Mandela Fellows are “returning” to UC Davis! Thirty young African leaders from 20 countries will participate in public management training that the fellows will then put to use in their homelands. UC Davis had planned to host its fifth cohort of fellows a year ago, until  the pandemic forced the program’s cancellation. This summer’s program, which starts Monday (June 21), will be virtual.

On June 21, the University of California, Davis, virtually welcomes 29 leaders from 20 African countries for a six-week Leadership in Public Management Institute as a part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, the flagship program of the U.S. Department of State Young African Leaders Initiative. The institute, organized by UC Davis Global Affairs, will build practical knowledge and leadership capacity in topics such as public management, community engagement, public speaking, and the intersection of public health and local government. The UC Davis Mandela Washington Fellows will participate in discussion forums, professional networking, cultural connection activities, leadership sessions, community service, and focus project coaching from their home countries through July 30.

Howard Chiang, an expert in East Asian studies with a dedication to advancing LGBTQ history through international collaborations, joined the faculty of UC Davis in 2017 and is now an associate professor in the College of Letters and Science’s Department of History. His pioneering three-volume Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History, for which he served as editor-in-chief, won the 2020 Dartmouth Medal thanks to its merging of global LBGTQ history into one resource. Born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, Chiang says that throughout the cross-cultural editorial and research process, he thoroughly appreciated working with experts in fields different from his own area of specialization.

On June 1, 2021, the University of California, Davis and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad in Pakistan signed an agreement of cooperation to partner on research and capacity building collaborations in horticulture and animal science. The agreement builds upon past agreements between the two universities signed in 2008 and 2013 as well as ongoing collaborations between UC Davis and Pakistan.

After 19 months without live performances, The Mondavi Center for Performing Arts at the University of California, Davis, announced today its 2021–22 season. The entertainment begins Oct. 14 with Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra and closes May 19, 2022, with flutist, electronic musician and academic Grace Leslie. 

Despite not being able to host an in-person cohort this year due to COVID-19 concerns, UC Davis has remained committed to serving as Humphrey Fellowship Program partners, working in multi-campus collaboration to enrich the experiences of Humphrey Fellows in in-person programs at other universities around the U.S. UC Davis has hosted virtual workshops, seminars, and various enhancement opportunities, including the recent workshop Succeeding as a Leader in a World of Change and Opportunity. 

Aligning with the campus goal and Provost’s Priority of Global Education for All UC Davis students, Global Affairs has launched two new courses starting this June through Undergraduate Education’s Summer Sessions and is starting the launch of a revamped Global Studies minor in fall 2021.

The two subjects of agricultural sciences and environmental science and engineering brought UC Davis its strongest showings in the 2021 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, released today (May 25) by the ShanghaiRanking Consultancy of China. UC Davis ranked sixth in the world in both subjects and first in the nation in both agricultural sciences and veterinary sciences. The campus was among more than 1,800 universities ranked in 54 subjects across the natural sciences, engineering, life sciences, medical sciences and social sciences.

Civil and environmental engineering student Chidubem Nnaji has been named a 2021 Donald A. Strauss Foundation Scholar for his project titled “Using Solar Power to Empower.” The annual scholarship was established as a memorial to the late Don Strauss—a successful business executive who had a lifelong interest in education and public service—and awards $15,000 to up to fifteen college sophomores or juniors from pre-selected institutions in California. Nnaji’s project is focused on bringing accessible, clean water to his village in Nigeria and to educate residents on the importance of sustainable water practices. The goal of this project is to install a solar-powered, self-sustaining water pump that will alleviate the shortage of clean water in the community.

The University of California, Davis, has been selected to participate in the inaugural Indonesian International Student Mobility Awards program, beginning in fall 2021. UC Davis is one of four universities in the United States, and the only west coast institution, to take part in the scholarship program. Launched and funded by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, the program provides well-qualified Indonesian undergraduates the opportunity to enroll as visiting students at UC Davis, gaining knowledge and skills, exchanging ideas and culture, and building new relationships as part of the Davis community. 

The University of California, Davis, is proud to announce its selection as an Institute Partner for the 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Beginning June 21, 2021, UC Davis will virtually engage around 30 of Africa’s bright, emerging public management leaders for a six-week Leadership Institute, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

Tiven Buggy, a 2020 graduate of the UC Davis College of Engineering's civil and environmental engineering master’s program, now serves as director of water and sanitation for the nonprofit Puente, based in Constanza, La Vega, Dominican Republic. In this role, Buggy relies on data collection and analysis technology to help solve water crises in remote parts of the region. His passion for improving access to clean water ignited during his time in the Peace Corps and continued to be fueled by his global experiences while at UC Davis.