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In less than a week, I’ll have the privilege of shaking thousands of students’ hands as they cross the stage to graduate.

We’ve nearly reached the peak of commencement season with about 12,000 students earning their diplomas from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis this spring. This is a celebration of dreams fulfilled and bright futures for our newest alumni. 

We’re also marking this year as the 100th class of four-year graduates. Our graduates will face a different world than that of 1926. One thing that has not changed, however, is our commitment to sustaining and improving a cutting-edge Davis campus that serves the needs of our community, the state and the world.

We’re modernizing our infrastructure and setting the standard for what public universities can achieve. We remain focused on operating as a campus of the future, committed to being good neighbors with the city of Davis and Yolo County. 

Above all, our commitment to providing a world-class education with robust support for our students remains steady. 

One example is the Diane Bryant Engineering Student Design Center, which opened in 2023. It provides students with the tools and guidance to tackle the world’s greatest challenges through project-based, experiential education. Three years ago, we opened the Teaching and Learning Complex. It’s an adaptable environment that supports visual teaching and learning among nearly 2,000 general assignment seats in 21 classrooms.

Innovating our campus isn’t just for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis’ benefit. In many cases, it provides opportunities for community support and partnership.

Last month, the Resnick Center for Agricultural Innovation held its grand opening. It brings researchers together in cutting-edge research and technology spaces to advance sustainable agriculture, innovation and food security for communities in California and throughout the world. Some of the research will specifically address local challenges in partnership with agricultural producers across Yolo County and beyond.

Pet owners in the community will also benefit from a new small animal hospital at the Weill School of Veterinary Medicine, which is scheduled to open in 2030. The construction will increase the hospital's annual patient capacity from 50,000 to over 70,000 while reducing wait times.

All the while, we’re expanding and improving the university's front door. That includes our restoration of a beloved spot in Davis to enjoy nature. In 2024, we completed restoration and enhancement of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Arboretum Waterway, including new walking paths and accessibility upgrades. This year marks the 90th anniversary of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Arboretum and Public Garden, and we’ll have commemorative events to share in the coming months.

Through , we’re upgrading our athletics facilities and planning a major expansion of 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Health Stadium. The master plan also includes a golf training facility accessible to the community and a modernized concourse at the University Credit Union Center. These improvements coincide with 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis's transition to the Mountain West Conference for most sports, a move that will bring more fans to Davis and our local businesses. 

Innovation doesn’t mean just the efforts happening on campus. It’s about strengthening our town-gown relationships and community investment during this era of transformation. In the areas of housing and transportation, 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis continues to work with local residents and city officials on , a sustainable transportation plan for getting in and around campus.

In March, we held an annual meeting with representatives from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis, the city of Davis and Yolo County. The topics included updates on student housing and Hate-Free Together, our joint initiative to push back against hate crimes. At a recent meeting, the Davis City Council unanimously passed a motion to develop cross-cultural anti-bias training as part of Hate-Free Together.

While 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis stretches across Northern California — from 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Health in Sacramento, Bodega Marine Laboratory and Tahoe Environmental Research Center — the heart of our university remains in Davis. These new projects demonstrate our commitment to supporting our students and being good neighbors for the next century and beyond. 

More milestones are coming later this year. In the fall, we’ll celebrate the 75th anniversary of our College of Letters and Science. This is our largest college at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis, both in terms of the number of degrees offered and its enrollment. Our Social Sciences and Humanities Building, which houses the college’s administration and numerous departments, is undergoing seismic renovations and other improvements that are expected to be completed this summer.

So, we honor our 100th anniversary of four-year undergraduates later this month, knowing that our alumni are prepared for the world that awaits them. As we head into the next century, we remain on the journey of preparing students for the challenges they’ll find and the discoveries they’ll make. We’re confident that because 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis is leaning forward, our students will be ready to make a positive difference in the lives of others.