First joining in February 2018, Kelly entered the University Honors Program as the academic advisor for first- and second-year UHP students, a new position within the program. Since then, her efforts have been seen far and wide across campus, both in UHP and around UC Davis.

The College of Agriculture & Environmental Science awarded eight outstanding students who demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in areas of academic excellence, distinctive leadership, and community or public service.

One of the most unique aspects of the University Honors Program is the innovative, discussion-based, honors courses. UHP students have the opportunity to engage with their professors and peers through these honors classes in a way they may not be able to in a large, lecture-style course.

The UHP Leadership Award identifies one student who has exhibited leadership, excellence, and a dedication to being a positive, driving force in society. This student has taken the resources and skills they have learned throughout life and through UHP to be a trailblazer.

This year the University Honors Program is delighted to celebrate 145 graduates who have successfully completed the UHP curriculum. This is the largest graduating class in our program’s history! We are so proud of everything they have accomplished in their time with UHP and at UC Davis. This video was created in honor of our graduates’ accomplishments, and we look forward to hearing of their post-graduation achievements. Congratulations to the class of 2022!

Fourth year students Sara Clarkson and Harjeet Mann both created Honors Contracts with Dr. Naomi Janowitz, Professor of Religious Studies, after taking her Honors class RST 110: Life, Meaning, and Identity. We interviewed them to learn more about their projects and experience working on an Honors Contract with Dr. Janowitz.

At the end of September 2021, Dave Furlow, Professor of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior stepped down as the Director of the University Honors Program, Director of the First Year Seminars program, and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education.

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Each year, the academic colleges recognize undergraduate students who have demonstrated exceptional accomplishments in academics, research, and leadership. Several members of the UHP Class of 2021 have been recognized for their achievements and contributions during their time at UC Davis. 

The UHP Faculty Mentorship Award is awarded to a UC Davis faculty member for providing outstanding mentorship to a UHP student. An outstanding mentor is one who is accessible, impactful, and has played a significant role in at least one UHP student's undergraduate career.

The UHP Student Leadership Award identifies a graduating UHP student who is an emerging leader on campus or in the community.

Dr. David Furlow, University Honors Program Director and Professor of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, and Dr. Jaimey Fisher, frequent UHP instructor and Professor of German and Cinema & Digital Media, recently won a Humanities Connections Planning Grant in the amount of $33,505 for their project, Groundswell at the Intersection of STEM and Humanities. This one-year planning grant will allow Professors Fisher and Furlow to develop and pilot a two-quarter sequence of co-taught interdisciplinary courses for first-year honors students.

UHP student Maya Mysore has earned a Goldwater Scholarship for the coming academic year. The prestigious, federally endowed award encourages students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, natural sciences and engineering. Mysore is among the 410 students awarded Goldwater Scholarships  for the 2021-2022 academic year, and one of two UC Davis recipients along with cell biology major Keely Ji. 

In early 2016, Dr. Ruiz joined UC Davis as the inaugural Associate Director of both the newly created University Honors Program and a rapidly expanding First Year Seminars Program. Dr. Ruiz has been a tremendous partner in all aspects related to the long-term vision, daily operations, growth, and overall success of UHP and FYS.

The UC Davis Washington Program has long been a highly valued partner of the University Honors Program, serving as an option for our students to fulfill their Year 3 project requirement.

The University Honors Program is excited to be partnering with the Science, Humanities and Arts: Process and Engagement (SHAPE) program to offer a very special course in Fall 2020! The course is titled Transforming Exclusion to Expression: Gender and Race in Climate Science and is co-taught by Professors Margaret Kemp and Dawn Sumner.