Commitment. Passion. Empathy. These descriptors were just a few of the plaudits the winners of the 2024 Graduate Program Advising and Mentoring Award received in their nomination letters.
“[This professor’s] mentorship is always the perfect balance of pushing you to your full capacity, while also supporting at a level that fosters independence, creativity and self-ownership.”
“[This professor] combines a deep sense of empathy with a steely commitment to student development.”
“[This professor’s] mentorship has not only enriched my academic experience but has also instilled in me a deep sense of confidence and passion for my field of study.”
Among the 27 faculty members who won this year’s award, five were from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, five were from the College of Biological Sciences, seven were from the College of Engineering, eight were from the College of Letters and Sciences, and two were from the School of Veterinary Medicine.
As one of many Graduate Studies initiatives dedicated to showcasing and promoting positive advising and mentoring experiences within graduate education at UC Davis, this award recognizes faculty members for their outstanding contributions to the graduate student experience. Jean-Pierre Delplanque, vice provost and dean of Graduate Studies, expressed his deep appreciation for this year’s winners and their role.
“Effective advising and quality mentorship are crucial components of graduate student success and well-being,” he said. “That’s why these components are central to our UC Davis Graduate Studies strategic plan, and it’s why I’m so grateful to this group for giving their time and talents to our graduate students.”
Check out the 2024 College of Letters and Science winners!
Drew Cingel
Associate Professor, Department of Communication
Davide Donadio
Professor, Department of Chemistry
Elizabeth Miller
Professor, Department of English
Emilija Pantic
Associate Professor, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Katie Peterson
Professor, Department of English
Anne Schilling
Professor, Department of Mathematics
Juan Tellez
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science
Michael Yonan
Professor, Department of Art History
More about the award
To be considered for this award, graduate programs nominated faculty members who displayed outstanding excellence in advising and mentoring of their graduate students. As part of the nomination process, these Graduate programs highlighted faculty for their service to the program, commitment to advising and mentoring, and positive impact on graduate students and colleagues. This was an optional recognition program and graduate programs participated at will. The award recipients received a letter of recognition from the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies that can be included in merit and promotion files or to document their service for grant applications or organizations.
For more information on Graduate Studies' mentoring resources, awards, and programs, visit the mentoring website.
This article originally appeared on the UC Davis Graduate Studies website.