Students and families look forward to college preparing students with knowledge for their future careers. In addition to this academic preparation, college is also a time of important personal growth for students. In college, your student will learn to make decisions independently, build new relationships, manage responsibilities, face challenges, and develop their own identity and values. Because of all of the new experiences to come, the first year of college is especially important for students.
This article is written by New Student Programs(Division of Student Affairs), which is comprised of Orientation and First Year Experience. Our team is dedicated to supporting newstudents' transition into and through UC Davis.
UC Davis students relax in hammocks in the Quad, as turkeys wander by. The quad and Memorial Union are popular locations year-round, including the summer. (Gregory Urquiaga/UC Davis)
UC Davis Summer Sessions offers hundreds of courses to current students and the community. But there is much more to take advantage of, if you know where to look. This year, programmatic offerings include a free writing academy, increased virtual classes, events for bothin-person and remote students as well as support services from campus units.
The faculty at UC Davis are a constant source of inspiration, and the Chancellor’s Fellows stand out among them. These early-career scholars are selected for their exceptional research achievements and receive the distinction of carrying the chancellor’s imprimatur for five years.
Each Chancellor’s Fellow is awarded $25,000 to support innovative elements of their research that might otherwise go unfunded. In many cases, these projects also create valuable, hands-on lab opportunities that help students build skills for their future careers.
This year, our community is coming together for a very special milestone—the 10th annual Give Day at UC Davis. For a decade, Aggies have united for this 29-hour celebration of generosity, raising vital support for UC Davis Health, our veterinary hospitals and programs across the UC Davis campus.
Picnic Day is on April 18, 2026, will you be joining us? The Aggie Parent and Family Council has compiled a guide to help you get the most out of Picnic Day with tips for what to bring, where to eat, parking, and some of the can't miss events.
Crowdfund UC Davis (CFUCD) is a fantastic way for our students to gain firsthand experience in organizing, promoting and fundraising for projects close to their hearts. CFUCD gives students the opportunity to apply concepts they are learning in the classroom and through student organizations, providing valuable early, career-building experience that helps shape their futures.
As our daughter Saee, begins her fourth year at UC Davis, we are filled with excitement for her and her future. As proud Aggie parents, we are deeply thankful for the many resources that the university offers to support students’ health, safety, and success.
Mention First-Year Seminars to UC Davis students and alumni and you’ll likely hear a positive recollection.
Recalling his time in a Sports Law First-Year Seminar, attorney Scott Judson, who graduated with his undergraduate degree in 2009, said he still remembers his experience 18 years ago.
“In my seminar, I built a relationship with the professor, had dynamic discussions with others and developed skills that helped shape me into the attorney I am today,” he said.
This article is written by The New Student Programs unit housed within Student Affairs and is comprised of Orientation and First Year Experience. Our team is dedicated to supporting your students transition into and through UC Davis.
It’s June and the 2024-25 academic year, has come to a close. If this was you and your student’s first year at UC Davis, congratulations. This was a huge year of transition for both of you, and you made it.
