The 2016 Provost Awards Ceremony marks the fourth year of what has become a UC Davis tradition. The Provost Fellowship provides incentive for new graduate students and recognizes the excellence of those approaching departure from their UC Davis journey (although many would say a part of UC Davis always stays with them). The distinction is captured with the two categories of Provost Fellowships: one for first-year students, and the other for dissertation-year students. Fifty graduate students are rewarded with a $25,000 stipend, along with coverage of their tuition and fees for the year. 

This year marked Vice Provost - Graduate Education and Dean - Graduate Studies Jeffery C. Gibeling’s last presentation of the awards. Dean Gibeling opened by delivering yet another moving introductory speech to thank graduate students for the hard work that makes UC Davis’ graduate program what it is today, for their influential contributions to research in their fields of study, their matchless devotion to their work, and their perseverance through academic toil. 

Following Dean Gibeling’s introduction, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Ralph J. Hexter, spoke of the significance of graduate work in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences departments, within a primarily STEM-oriented system. Provost Hexter praised the work of graduate students from these departments, and reminded the audience of how crucial these departments are in composing and maintaining the well-rounded reputation of UC Davis’ prestigious graduate program. The Provost Fellowship aims to help opportunities become more attainable for these graduate student recipients, and enhance their UC Davis experience.

The Provost Awards Ceremony ended with a series of speeches from several recipients detailing how the Fellowship has enriched their experience here at UC Davis. Recipients dedicated toasts to family, friends, mentors, and loved ones, some to indulging in the rigor involved in pursuit of a Ph.D., others to anecdotes and emotional tales of their unique academic journeys. Each speech shared the advantages and special opportunities brought within arm’s reach—made possible by the resources allocated generously by the Provost, to recognize our deserving, spectacular graduate students.

2015-2016 Recipients

• Social Sciences

• Humanities, Arts & Cultural Studies

• Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

• First-Year Fellowships
  Eli Alston-Stepnitz, Sociology
  Ari Conterato, Anthropology
  Grace Davis, Anthropology
  James Falin, Communication
  Katherine Finnigan, Psychology
  Jordan Hamzawi, Political Science
  Glen Heinrich-Wallace, Linguistics
  Christopher Lawrence, Sociology
  Devin Leigh, History
  Heather Mayer, Psychology
  Miguel Novoa, History
  Katherine Pfannes, Psychology
  Ashley Serpa-Flack, History
  
  Dissertation-Year Fellowships
  Chloe East, Economics
  Tyrus Fisher, Philosophy
  Brian Halpin, Sociology
  Jeremy Mikecz, History
  Daniel Moglen, Linguistics
  Adrien Yen, Anthropology
• First-Year Fellowships
  Cinthya Ammerman, Native American Studies
  Henry Bell, Art
  Leonardo de Oliveria Silva, Spanish
  Rachel Dewitt, English
  Kristine Doiel, Dramatic Art
  Kristine George Bagdanov, English
  Elizabeth Giardina, English
  Kristen Hanley Cardozo, English
  Sarah Haughn, Performance Studies
  Marta Llorente Bravo, Spanish
  William Mahan, German
  Carmine Morrow, Comparative Literature
  Anne O'Connor, Cultural Studies
  Patricia Pilas, Cultural Studies
  Miguel Rojo Polo, Spanish
  Tracy Sachs, Study of Religion
  Ryan Suleiman, Music
  Ante Ursic, Performance Studies
   

  Dissertation-Year Fellowships
  Ian Afflerbach, English
  Megan Ammirati, Comparative Literature
  Rusty Bartels, Cultural Studies
  Mrinmoyee Batacharya, French
  William Cooper, Music
  Bayu Kristianto, Native American Studies
  Julia Alejandra Morales Fontanilla, Cultural Studies
  Victoria White, Comparative Literature
  John Zibell, Performance Studies
   

• First-Year Fellowships
  Puja Singhal, Agricultural & Resource Economics
  Tor Tolhurst, Agricultural & Resource Economics
  
  Dissertation-Year Fellowships
  Diane Charlton, Agricultural & Resource Economics
  Kristen Snyder, Geography