Lead Donors Help Launch Campaign

In its first months of public fundraising, UC Davis’ $2 billion campaign, “Expect Greater: From UC Davis, For the World,” is already living up to its name thanks to gifts from leading donors.

Publicly launched in October 2020, the campaign is the largest philanthropic endeavor in university history, with the bold goal to prepare future leaders, sustain healthier communities and bring innovative solutions to today’s most urgent challenges, such as pandemic response, climate change, public safety and more.

Donors giving greater

Since the campaign’s quiet phase began in July 2016, the university’s closest donors and friends have given $1.3 billion toward the goal. Now UC Davis is reaching out to the entire university community.

Donors of note since the public launch include:

• Diane Bryant ’85: $6.5 million to the Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center at the College of Engineering
• Dale and Kathryn ’87 Carlsen: $2.55 million to establish the Foster Care Resilience Fund at UC Davis Health’s Department of Pediatrics
• Darryl ’83 and Lois ’85 Goss: $1.5 million to establish the Austin and Arutha Goss Presidential Chair in African American and African studies at the College of Letters and Science
• Jeffrey ’79 and Kellie Hepper: $1 million to establish the Hepper Family Exhibition Fund at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
• Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem: $750,000 to establish The California Studio: Manetti Shrem Artist Residencies at the College of Letters and Science

“This campaign is so much more than a number,” said Vice Chancellor Shaun Keister, head of Development and Alumni Relations and president of the UC Davis Foundation. “We are securing private support to make tangible change and to impact areas the world needs most by partnering with those who share our vision.”

Building a better world

Across UC Davis, donor-supported initiatives are already making an impact in wide-ranging areas. Through the Smart Farm and One Climate initiatives, UC Davis agricultural and environmental experts are innovating new techniques for growing food and reversing climate change.

With the world’s No. 1 veterinary school and a comprehensive medical center, UC Davis leads at the nexus of human and animal medicine — the focus of the One Health Institute.

The School of Medicine and Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing are advancing telehealth and care for older adults. And the Center for Violence Prevention Research is on the leading edge of public safety.

Expect Greater is UC Davis’ second comprehensive fundraising campaign. The 2006-14 Campaign for UC Davis raised $1 billion for student support, patient care, teaching and research.