On April 5, 2025, the UC Davis International Center hosted over 150 students, alumni, staff and global professionals for the 5th annual Global Learning Conference, themed Cultivating Authenticity in an Interconnected World. Organized by the UC Davis Global Learning Hub, the event offered a day of professional development, intercultural dialogue, and networking aimed at helping students leverage their global experiences for academic, personal, and career advancement.

A Full Day of Insightful Programming

The conference opened with welcoming remarks from Joanna Regulska, vice provost and dean of UC Davis Global Affairs, and UC Davis Chancellor Gary S. May, who emphasized the importance of global competencies in today’s interconnected world. This was followed by an inspiring keynote address from Maritza Davis, Vice President of Experiences & Social Responsibility for the Sacramento Kings. Davis’s keynote set a reflective tone for the day, with one attendee noting, “I really loved Maritza’s visionary talk—it was very inspirational.”

Participants attended a series of thoughtfully curated concurrent sessions and had the opportunity to get a professional headshot. These workshops provided practical strategies for articulating global skills in resumes, interviews, and professional settings. As one student shared, “The workshop topics were so applicable to post-graduation situations.”  You can access the full conference program here.

Networking Opportunities and Professional Engagement

The Exhibitor Fair and structured networking sessions were key highlights of the conference. Students had the opportunity to connect with more than 30 organizations and professionals working across fields such as Global Health, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Public Service.

The Career Skills Plenary, led by Ken Barnes from the UC Davis Career Center and Claudio Castaneda from DA Global, provided valuable guidance on navigating the job market. A recent graduate attending the session commented, “Thank you for an engaging session! It brought me a lot of clarity because the job search is hard!”

Positive Outcomes and Impact

Feedback from participants demonstrated the event’s significant impact:

• 92% reported the conference helped them reflect on their global experiences.
• 96% made new connections with peers who had intercultural or global experiences.
• 96% expressed increased confidence in articulating global skills during job searches.
• 92% indicated they would recommend the conference to other students.

Students appreciated both the formal sessions and the informal networking opportunities. One attendee summarized their experience by saying, “The personal stories from speakers helped me see how to apply my own experiences and trust my unique process.”

Gratitude to Supporters, Exhibitors and Speakers

The UC Davis Global Learning Hub extends its sincere appreciation to the 33 speakers and networkers, as well as the 25+ exhibitors and partnering organizations, for their critical role in the conference’s success. Their dedication to supporting student development and global engagement helped create a vibrant and meaningful experience for all attendees. In addition, we would like to thank the Global Learning Conference planning committee for all their work to plan and implement the conference.