2024
Lois and Darryl Goss, UC Davis alumni who met while students in the early 1980s, are long-time ambassadors of the university and dedicated volunteers. Darryl, who was an Aggie star football player, received his BA in African American Studies (1983) while Lois, who played basketball, received her BA in Sociology (1985). The Goss’ attribute their success at Davis in large part to the Special Transition Enrichment Program (STEP), which gave them “the confidence to succeed in a competitive and racially homogenous academic environment.” An acquisitions and investment consultant for healthcare and technology companies, Darryl (MBA Chicago) previously served as CEO of Inform Diagnostics, a leading anatomic pathology laboratory, and as president of Sigma-Aldrich SAFC Hitech. The couple have demonstrated sustained commitment to the community and students it serves. As Chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Council (2013-18), Darryl led volunteer efforts to draw additional membership and organize the group. He has been active on the Athletics Advisory Council and has served as a trustee on the UC Davis Foundation Board. Lois has been a member of the Davis Chancellor’s Club Committee and actively sought to expand volunteer and philanthropic support there. She is an inaugural member of the university’s Women in Philanthropy program, and has been an integral member of the College of Letters and Science Dean’s Advisory Council. More recently, she joined the trustees of the UC Davis Foundation Board. The couple established the Goss Family Endowment to support African American studies at Davis, followed by their creation of the university’s first endowed chair in African American Studies, the Austin and Arutha Goss Presidential Chair. They contributed to the building of the Ann E. Pitzer Center Pitzer Classroom and the Music Recital Hall.
2023
Long-time UC Davis friend and supporter of the arts in education here and in other institutions around the globe, Maria Manetti Shrem is the 27th recipient of the UC Davis Medal. She is, with husband, Jan Shrem, namesake of the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, which opened to great acclaim on the Davis campus in 2016. Shrem’s nominator noted her “bold vision toward making our arts programs the best in the world,” further reminding us that “the arts facilitate higher discussions and spark creativity to solve the world’s problems.” In addition to their generosity in naming the Shrem Museum, Maria sought to learn about the art studio program and its needs in discussions with the late Wayne Thiebaud and students. What resulted from those thoughtful gatherings was Manetti Shrem’s provision of the means to establish a new visiting artist program, an endeavor which now brings top talent to the university. The Manetti Shrem California Studio program provides students with profound learning opportunities both in and outside the classroom, and has ushered in a renewed era of global recognition of the arts here. Indeed, the arts have always been at the center of the excellence of this university, and Maria Manetti Shrem's works have consistently over the years exemplified the spirit of the UC Davis Medal. <<See video.
2022
The Bartholomews’ contributions to UC Davis span areas of both the Davis and Sacramento campuses. Both alumni of the class of 1964, Jacque and Wayne met as undergraduate students. Wayne went on to earn the juris doctorate degree in 1971. In the decades since, they have remained active volunteers and donors serving on a number of many boards, including the Health Leadership Council, the Cal Aggie Alumni Association (CAAA), the UC Davis Foundation, the Mondavi Center, the Athletic Director's Leadership Council, the Food Science Leadership Board, and the International Programs Executive Development Council. Life members of the CAAA, the Bartholomews are also founding members of the Davis Chancellor's Club (DCC). They are recipients of the CAAA’s Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award (the premier alumni award for extraordinary service to the association and Foundation Board). Jacque, who is one of only a few women who have served as alumni association presidents, received the Fielder award in 1990, and Wayne in 1996. They also received the 2010 Charles J. Soderquist Award, an honor bestowed in recognition of exceptional volunteer leadership and philanthropy.
Karl and Pam are both alumni of UC Davis graduate and doctoral programs. Karl received a master’s of science in engineering in 1973, and Pam a master’s in psychology in 1974. They returned to campus to complete doctoral degrees, with Karl obtaining a PhD in engineering in 1984, and Pam receiving the DVM in 1983. Gerdes and Rohrich have been an unwavering presence at the university, as active volunteers, boosters, and supporters who helped lay the foundation for a variety of programs at both the College of Engineering and the School of Veterinary Medicine. They are active members of Cal Aggie Alumni Association who have honorably supported arts programs as well as initiatives for students facing a variety of critical needs. They have been members of the Davis Chancellor’s Club since 1993. Karl, a founding member of the DCC, has served as its chair. He is also a member of the UC Davis Foundation Board and the Global Campaign Leadership Council, and previously served on the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Advisory Board. They have remained involved with their respective campus alma maters in a number of ways, with Pam supporting programs such as Vet Med’s hardship drive and others. The couple established endowed veterinary and engineering student scholarships, designed to help sustain student success for generations to come.
2021
Charles Rice, a UC Davis alumnus (BS 1974) and one of the world’s most accomplished virologists, was named a 2020 Nobel Laureate (Physiology or Medicine), with Harvey J. Alter of the National Institutes of Health and Michael Houghton of the University of Alberta. The trio’s research led to the discovery and cure for hepatitis C (HCV). Rice, also a member of the National Academy of Sciences, earned his PhD from Caltech in 1981. He is the Maurice R. and Corinne P. Greenberg Chair in Virology and Head of the Laboratory of Virology and Infectious Disease at Rockefeller University. From 1986-2000, Rice was on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis. Among many important contributions to the understanding of the biological origins and structures of viruses, he and his team produced the first infectious molecular clone of the HCV–an essential tool for future studies of this human pathogen. His laboratory has recently established efficient cell culture systems for studying HCV replication and evaluating antiviral efficacy. << See video
A 1982 UC Davis graduate with bachelor’s degrees in psychology and art history, Alan Templeton’s family connections with the University of California run deep. His sister and brother-in-law are also UC Davis alumni. Templeton’s late father, Professor Emeritus David H. Templeton, an authority on X-ray diffraction and absorption correction techniques, served as dean of the College of Chemistry at UC Berkeley from 1970-75. Both of Alan’s parents received PhDs in chemistry from Berkeley where they were based the length of their careers. Among other jobs, Templeton taught high school and worked as an administrator for a labor union. From age 10, when he inherited a stock portfolio from his great uncle, Nobel Laureate Otto Stern, he began to develop his skills in investing, a sideline that allowed him to retire early. Templeton’s interest in art and collection, including 18th century etchings by Hogarth and Piranesi, led to a guest curator invitation from the Crocker Art Museum. With the belief that the arts and humanities are often underfunded, Templeton has supported UC Davis since 1999, with an initial gift to the Center for the Arts campaign. He also made gifts to the Nelson Art Museum and, in 2011, established The Alan Templeton Endowment in Art History, which in 2014 was renamed The Alan Templeton Endowed Chair in the History of European Art Before 1830. With a desire to broaden his support, he funded establishment of the Templeton Endowment for Arts and Letters (TEAL), further benefitting the social sciences, humanities and arts at Davis. In 2018, he established the Alan Templeton Art History Fund that will ultimately support the Templeton Colloquium speakers series, and will provide general program support to the Art History Department. A life-long learner, Templeton has often been seen on campus over the years since he graduated, having lunch with faculty and others, or attending programs. << See video
2020
UC Davis College of Engineering alumnus Bruce West, co-founding principal of West Yost Associates, has been a leader in the planning and design of numerous large water and wastewater facilities for more than four decades. The Davis-headquartered engineering partnership has held the title of CE News’ “Best Firms to Work For” competition for eight consecutive years. After receiving his master’s degree in 1973, Bruce spent 17 years in industrial waste treatment engineering and consulting for various companies, until he and fellow Davis classmate, Jim Yost, formed West Yost in 1990. Bruce’s dedication to his alma mater has been extraordinary, going beyond his 20-year membership on the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Executive Committee. He has been a member of the Cal Aggie Engineering Alumni Association Board; the Athletic Advisory Committee; the university-wide CAAA Board; the Chancellor’s Club (as chair); and the UC Davis Foundation Board. In addition to several awards from the College, Bruce received the Jerry W. Fielder Memorial Award in 2016, for his longstanding commitment to the mission of UC Davis. << See video
2019
Richard Dorf
Renowned for innovations in engineering systems, robotics, technology management and teaching, the late Richard Dorf was a professor emeritus of electrical engineering and management who joined the faculty of UC Davis in 1971. Dorf also served in key administrative and programmatic roles, including dean of the UC Davis Extended Learning program. He was a founding faculty member of the UC Davis Graduate School of Administration (now the Graduate School of Management). Following his retirement, Dorf remained actively engaged in mentoring students and alumni, and continued to write and teach. He volunteered on the College of Engineering Dean’s Executive Committee, the Graduate School of Management Dean’s Advisory Council, and on the UC Davis Foundation Board of Trustees.The author of 30 books, and co-founder of six technology firms and three publishing companies, Dorf was a fellow of ACE, ASEE and IEEE. A former resident of Sonoma, he was the city’s mayor from 1994-96, and a council member from 1994-98. He was a City of Davis commissioner from 2000-09. Dorf, accompanied by his wife, Joy, was presented the medal in June 2019. << See video
2018
Chapman, a pioneer of modern trauma surgery, was chair of the UC Davis Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for two decades and was chief of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service. Under Chapman's leadership, the department became one of the most respected in the nation. An alumnus of the College of Letters and Science, Chapman has been a generous volunteer and donor for many years and is one of the founding members of UC Davis’ first comprehensive, $1.3 billion-generating campaign. The Chapmans are members of the UC Davis California Aggie Alumni Association, the Davis Chancellor's Club and Emil Mrak Associates, and helped make possible the Walter A. Buehler Alumni and Visitors Center and the Robert Mondavi Center for the Arts. << See video
For nearly five decades, Dr. John and Dr. Lois Crowe have contributed to the vibrancy of the UC Davis Community - from groundbreaking research to community-building and philanthropy. John, a professor emeritus of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the College of Biological Sciences, joined the faculty in 1970. Lois, a research scientist who completed her PhD at Davis, also conducted studies in the same laboratories. Together they realized fundamental, significant advancements in a process that allows various sea organisms to withstand severe drying and to thrive. Other reminders of their generosity can be found in the Young Artist's Competition within the Robert Mondavi Center's Young Artists Program, and in the Lois Crowe Patio in the UC Davis Arboretum. << See video
Gurdev Singh Khush is considered one of the fathers of the Green Revolution. A UC Davis PhD graduate who later joined the Davis faculty in an adjunct role, Khush is an agronomist and geneticist who, along with mentor Henry Beachell, received the 1996 World Food Prize for his achievements in enlarging and improving the quality and global supply of rice during a time of great famine. His contributions to the field of plant genetics and breeding have brought much distinction to the University, inspiring the work of generations of scientists and thus continuing to save and enhance the lives of millions around the world. The research he led in the late 1960s, with a team at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, produced nearly 300 then-new rice varieties. This work also enabled the way to better educational opportunity for many in developing countries and factored into the growth of the world economy. An individual thought by colleagues to be the "most decorated agricultural scientist in the world," Khush is also known for his gentle manner and generous spirit by those who have met or worked with him.
2017
William Chancellor
Internationally renowned farming methods, early sustainable energy and agricultural database pioneer, Professor Emeritus William J. "Bill" Chancellor, came to the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at Davis in 1957. He retired officially in 1994, but one might never have known it. He remained an active servant, continuing to mentor faculty and students for years after retirement. Typical of this devotion to his students was his planning, execution and sponsorship of symposia highlighting their achievements as part of the department's 100 Year Anniversary Celebration in 2015. << See video
Bruce Edwards, UC Davis Class of 1960, has been a longtime champion of the Aggie life with a lengthy list of volunteer activities to his credit. He served as chair of the UC Davis Foundation Board, a member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Director's Leadership Council and a committee member on the Campaign for UC Davis. Under Edwards’ leadership with creation of the UC Davis Foundation Matching Fund for Student Support, the Foundation Board and others donors have funded more than 40 endowments for scholarships, fellowships and awards.
2016
Evelyne and Richard (Rich) Rominger's relationship with UC Davis began well before they enrolled as undergraduates in the late 1940s--both of their families already had historical ties to the early campus. In their distinguished careers, Rich served as head of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and was later appointed to the post of deputy secretary and chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he oversaw establishment of national farming standards. Evelyne served on the Commission of the Californias and has been active in several area health associations. A lifelong advocate for gender equality and social justice issues, she was a founding board member of the Yolo County Mental Health Association and chair of the California Conference for Comprehensive Health Planning. << See video
2015
Delaine Eastin
The late Delaine Eastin, UC Davis Alumna (Political Science) and former California State Superintendent of Public Schools, led the system from 1995 to 2003. A California native who would tell her bleary-eyed staff on early morning trips to the state's campuses, "It's going to be a great day--we get to visit schools. Ms. Eastin attended public schools her entire student life. As superintendent and someone who was known for her bold, can-do personality, she is
remembered for reducing class sizes in grades K-3, lowering administrative costs, ensuring greater student access to computer technology, and introducing the practical and metaphorical value of student-planted and tended gardens in
education. She backed Alice Water’s Edible Garden Project, which began at the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley in the mid 1990s, and thus spurred the student planting of school gardens all over the state. Eastin was a leader in promoting California’s first efforts for universal preschool--a vision that is now coming to fruition with the expansion of transitional kindergarten to all 4-year-olds. She was also an advocate for women running for public office, and ran for the California Gubernatorial seat in 2018. On her passing in spring 2024, a reporter quoted an adage she left us, that “children are the living messengers we are sending to a time we will never see." << See video
2014
Charles Hess
Charles E. "Charley" Hess, Professor Emeritus of Plant Sciences and former Dean of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is a beloved, longtime servant of the university who has served in several additional roles, and was an active presence on state, national and global agricultural boards and committees. At Davis, Dr. Hess chaired the Department of Nutrition (2007-09), led the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (1975-89), and directed the Office of International Programs (1992-98). << See video
2009
Larry N. Vanderhoef
The late Larry Vanderhoef, a plant biologist who served in the top two leadership roles at UC Davis, first as Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (1984-1994), then as its sixth Chancellor (1994-2009), presented the medal to a dozen
honorees. He became the 13th medal recipient on May 30, 2009. The first person in his family to graduate from high school, he was one of the longest-serving administrators who became known as a "firm believer in academic
diplomacy." In the face of much dissent, he led a UC Davis delegation to Iran in 2004 (believed to be the first high-level university delegation to visit since that country’s 1979 revolution), in an effort to reestablish academic ties,
reopen the free exchange of students and scholars, and further cultural understanding. In 2008, he returned to Iran as a member of a small delegation of university presidents sponsored by the Association of American Universities. Under his leadership at Davis, the stature of the university increased significantly with larger faculty and student bodies, and is widely known as the university's largest period of academic and physical growth. Vanderhoef became an advocate for greater access to education early in his life. During his term as Chancellor he elevated the campus’s Division of Education to a new School of Education, expanded partnerships with community colleges, encouraged disadvantaged elementary school students to stay on track through the innovative “Reservation for College” program, and partnered with leaders of regional communities of color to raise awareness of UC Davis. He also saw the opening of the Mondavi Center for the Arts, among other momentous developments.
Gary Snyder, former Poet Laureate of California, essayist and lecturer, and professor emeritus of English at Davis, was born in San Francisco in 1930, and raised in the Pacific Northwest, where he worked as a youth on the family farm. Snyder is the recipient of the top honors in letters, including a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, the Bollingen Prize for Poetry, and the American Book Award. He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Wayne Thiebaud
The late artist Wayne Thiebaud, known for iconic depictions of everyday items such as pastry case and general store staples, cityscapes, landscapes and portraits, and professor of art at UC Davis from 1960 to 1991, was born in 1920 in Mesa, Arizona, and grew up in Long Beach, California and Hurricane, Utah. In Hurricane, he witnessed the failure of his family's farm during the Great Depression. Thiebaud served with the US Army during WWII from 1942-45, and drew a cartoon strip to entertain the troops on his base. Following the war he resumed his career in graphic arts and went to work as a designer and cartoonist for Rexall Drug Company in Los Angeles, eventually coming to Sacramento to obtain university degrees and later, join the renowned art faculty of UC Davis. In sustained demonstration of his dedication to arts education and the studio arts programs at Davis, Thiebaud did not leave the university behind on retirement from Davis. A beloved presence on campus, he remained active, continuing to teach classes and serving as a volunteer adviser to the university. He and his family made generous gifts supporting the arts and teaching, including donations of many of his own works. In his place as one of the great artists of his generation, if not all time, Thiebaud will forever remain widely regarded as an inspirational figure by students, aspiring artists and those who admire his considerable body of creative work.
2008
Barbara K. Jackson
Arts patron Barbara K. Jackson, one of two namesakes of the Mondavi Center's Barbara K. and W. Turrentine Jackson Hall, received the honor on a Saturday evening during the opening event of the Mondavi Center's 2008-09 season.
Gov. Schwarzenegger and former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet presided at a UC Davis signing ceremony that renewed the decades-old California-Chile partnership in research and education.
2007
Former California Supreme Court Justice and UC Davis Professor of Law Emeritus, Cruz Reynoso, a farmworker's son who rose from an Orange County barrio to become the first Latino to serve on the state's high Court, is the namesake with his wife of the Cruz and Jeannene Reynoso Scholarship for Legal Access.
2005
Stephen K. Robinson is a former NASA astronaut, UC Davis alumnus (double BS degrees in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, 1978) and, having returned to Davis in 2012, is currently professor of mechanical and aeronautical engineering at the College of Engineering. He is director of the UC Davis Center for Spaceflight Research, and director of the Human/Robotic/Vehicle Integration and Performance Lab. Robinson spent 37 years at NASA, where he worked as a machinist, lab technician, engineer, research scientist, branch chief, safety representative, and astronaut. During his 17 years as an astronaut, he flew on four space shuttle missions, including three spacewalks. He visited the ISS twice, trained as a Cosmonaut in Star City, Russia, and developed extensive expertise in spacecraft systems, human/systems integration, operational safety, space robotics, aerodynamics, and fluid physics. Among numerous other awards, he is a recipient of the space agency's highest honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Robinson received his MS and PhD from Stanford University (1986, 1990). He is an active pilot, artist, and multi-instrument musician – he currently plays with the mostly-astronaut folk-music band Bandella, and the all-astronaut rock band Max Q.
2004
The UC Davis Medal was presented to the late winemakers and philanthropists, Robert and Margrit Mondavi, for their years of support of the Arts at Davis and beyond, and their leadership in the building of the Robert Mondavi Center for the Arts.
Charlie Soderquist, a businessman, philanthropist, conservationist and author, believed in "empowering individuals and organizations to make differences that I cannot," received the Medal posthumously for his support of UC Davis research in the Delta and Lake Tahoe, among other educational, environmental and social causes.
2002
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton, 42nd President of the United States, received the 2002 UC Davis Medal for his support of programs such as the late 1990s plan to clean up Lake Tahoe, led by civil and environmental engineers in the Tahoe Environmental Research Center of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences. In November 2000, he signed a bill
authorizing the federal portion of a $900-million environmental rescue plan, an initiative that drew rare bipartisan support. The effort was pushed by Clinton and Vice President Al Gore at a 1997 meeting at the lake on the California-Nevada border.
Alice Gonzales and Roy T. Brophy
The 2002 UC Davis Medal was also presented to former UC Regents Alice Gonzales, and Roy T. Brophy. Gonzales, daughter of a migrant farm worker, learned early on the value of hard work, determination and a good education. "As well, she learned – and lived – a commitment to public service and uncompromisingly high standards," said Chancellor Vanderhoef. For more than 40 years, builder and developer Roy Brophy also helped build public education, serving the board of the San Juan School District and the boards of the state's three higher education systems – the California Community Colleges, the California State University and the University of California.