UC Davis Bids Farewell to the 2021-22 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Cohort with Community Celebration
The UC Davis 2021-22 Hubert H. Humphrey fellows recently marked the conclusion of their program with a ceremony and celebration welcoming members of the UC Davis and Davis communities in person and virtually hosting family and friends from around the world.
The Humphrey Fellowship brings accomplished mid-career professionals from countries with developing and emerging economies to the United States for professional and leadership development.
UC Davis has hosted more than 300 Humphrey fellows from more than 100 different countries since it was first selected as a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program host campus in 1986. One of 13 universities selected across the nation to host the program for 2021-22, fellows in the UC Davis program participated in professional development and collaborations.
The 2021-22 Humphrey Fellowship cohort is made up of 12 fellows, each from a different country, and each with different background knowledge and experience to gain from the program.
“We start the program as mid-career professionals, so this program has a lot of activities I get the benefit of,” says Ahmed Abdalgader, a professional in the field of renewable energy and Humphrey fellow from Sudan. “I took courses in energy economics and policy so that I can benefit my country with better energy policies.”
Courses at the university were just one of many activities that the fellows were involved in to grow their knowledge and guide their careers. The fellows participated in an Enhancement Workshop to prepare them to lead conversations around climate change, as well as several speaker events and workshops hosted by the university.
“I was really interested in some of the speakers and scientists who came and spoke to us,” says Dr. Meysam Vadiati, an expert in hydrology and Humphrey fellow from Iran. “UC Davis also provided the newest technology and tools, which were very important.”
Along with university courses, workshops, and speaker events, the Humphrey Fellows were all involved in a professional affiliation. This mutually beneficial placement within an organization was relevant to the fellow’s career field, and each fellow completed a project within the organization during their time at UC Davis. The 2021-22 Humphrey fellows had professional affiliations with the California Energy Commission, the World Bank, the California Air Resources Board, the Nature Conservancy, along with several other prominent NGOs.
José Palma, an expert in public policy economics and political science Humphrey fellow from Chile, did his professional affiliation with the Nature Conservancy. While there, he created a web browser to help businesses become more biodiversity-friendly.
“The work that we did with the Nature Conservancy was to develop more opportunities for conservationists, and also people who work in biodiversity, to help them find more financial opportunities to develop their projects,” says Palma.
The UC Davis campus itself also offers fellows experiences throughout the program. Sheila Apopo, an expert in livestock development Humphrey fellow from Kenya, spent time volunteering on campus and discovered a valuable exchange of information.
“I am not an engineer, but whenever I had time, I volunteered with UC Davis Engineers Without Borders as part of their health and safety team, because they have a water project in Kenya,” Apopo explains. “So, I went there as a Kenyan just to get to know what they were doing and give them information that I could about what Kenya really is like.”
The geographical location of UC Davis is a central point to many places in California that provide fellows with opportunities to witness some of the places and practices they may have previously only read about.
“California is an iconic and international reference for all environmental and climate change regulation professionals,” says Ana Dominguez, an expert in environmental and climate policy and Humphrey fellow from Panama. “It was like a dream to be here.”
This impact of the time the fellows spent at UC Davis was visible during the celebration marking the end of the fellowship, surrounded by their families, academic supporters, and friends.
“It's not only the university, but you meet so many people in a professional way,” says Khatia Basilashvili, an expert in natural resources, environmental and climate policy and Humphrey fellow from Georgia, “Now we are going home to our countries and we have a huge network of people. It's really precious for us.”
Sytekon “Caspar” Tarty, an expert in sustainable agricultural and rural development and Humphrey fellow from Liberia agreed, “The highlights for the Humphrey Fellowship program for me were meeting so many different people from diverse backgrounds and learning from their knowledge, expertise and experiences,” he says. “All of which I think has contributed a great deal to who I am going to be from here on.”
About Global Affairs at UC Davis
Global Affairs brings the world to UC Davis, welcoming more than 10,000 international students, scholars and leaders, and hosting programs that inspire global curiosity, understanding and engagement. Compelled by the valuable outcomes of thinking globally, we make transformative opportunities a reality by supporting the thousands of students and faculty learning and researching globally—and by facilitating collaborations that tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through more than 150 global partnerships.
Putting our vision of a UC Davis community that engages, thrives, and leads in this interconnected world into action, Global Affairs is in pursuit of an ambitious goal: Global Education for All.
About the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
An initiative of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program was founded in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter to honor the late senator and vice president, Hubert H. Humphrey, an advocate of international connections and understanding.