Volume 28 · Number 4 · Summer 2011
Campaign Gift Highlights
The Campaign for UC Davis is a universitywide effort to help UC Davis fulfill its land-grant mission to serve society by inspiring 100,000 donors to contribute $1 billion in philanthropic support to the university. The following are just some of the many contributions that are helping UC Davis achieve its campaign priorities to advance excellence, innovation, opportunity, public service and quality of life:
Jonathan Eisen
(Karin Higgins/UC Davis)
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation awarded a $1.3 million grant to Professor Jonathan Eisen for his research on creating a microbiology-focused communications network called microBEnet, or microbiology of the built environment network. This network is intended to foster dialogue and interactions among microbiological researchers and architects, air conditioning engineers, and other indoor technologists.
The Jackson Family Foundation recently gave $3 million to construct the Jess S. Jackson Sustainable Winery Building at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science. The foundation was started by Barbara R. Banke and the late Jess Jackson. The building, which is expected to be completed in 2013, will house the technology needed to maximize the environmental capabilities of the new winery, brewery and food science laboratory, which has been awarded the highest rating for environmental design and construction by the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the Division of Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies nearly $1.5 million to support four research initiatives in the humanities over the next six years. Research support for faculty, visiting professors, new courses, and graduate fellowships will focus on early modern studies and environmental humanities in the first two initiatives, with additional focus areas to be determined.
A $2 million commitment from Bruce '60 and Diane Edwards will support Aggie Stadium's maintenance and operations.
(Cheng Saechao/UC Davis)
Bruce '60 and Diane Edwards recently committed more than $2 million to support Intercollegiate Athletics. Their gift will go toward Aggie Stadium's maintenance and operations, and may be used for future stadium enhancements or expansion. The Edwardses are longtime supporters of Intercollegiate Athletics, the College of Letters and Science, and the UC Davis Annual Fund. They have established the Bruce and Diane Edwards Endowed Award Fund to provide undergraduate student scholarships, and Bruce provided major gift support for Aggie Stadium — the stadium's club room is named in his honor. Bruce is the vice chair of the UC Davis Foundation's Board of Trustees and a member of the UC Davis Chancellor's Club, the Herbert A. Young Society, CAAA, the Intercollegiate Athletic Director's Leadership Council, TeamAGGIE and the Aggie Touchdown Club.
Approximately 15,000 donors have made gifts or pledges to the UC Davis Annual Fund totaling more than $1.4 million so far this fiscal year. Contributions to the Annual Fund from alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff and other friends of the university provide UC Davis with flexible funding, helping the university support students and faculty and respond to emerging opportunities.
The College Access Foundation of California has contributed grants exceeding $723,000 to support higher education for low-income, first-generation college students. The foundation's most recent grant, of $286,000, will go to the College OPTIONS program in the Division of Student Affairs, to provide scholarships and mentoring for 25 college students from Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama counties in fall 2011.
Catholic Healthcare West pledged $2.5 million to establish the Catholic Healthcare West Dean's Chair for Nursing Leadership at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing. The endowed position will support development of leadership curriculum and programs for advocacy and action at all levels to advance health, improve quality of care and shape policy. Catholic Healthcare West joins the elite Founding Donors group who supports the development of the nursing school and its vision to transform health care through nursing leadership, education and research.
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