Update

Graduate Program Coordinators Lauren Worrell and Rosaisela Rodriguez, recipients of 2021-2022 Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator and Innovation Awards, were recently awarded further honors by NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. 

Lauren Worrell has been awarded Winner of Region 9 Excellence in Advising - Advisor Primary Role and Rosaiela Rodriguez received the Certificate of Merit of Region 9 Excellence in Advising - Advising Administrator.

Both will be recognized at upcoming NACADA conferences.

Congratulations, Lauren and Rosaisela!

Graduate Program Coordinators Lauren Worrell and Rosaisela Rodriguez have been named the recipients of this year's 2021-2022 Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator and Innovation Awards. 

The awards were announced at this year's Advising Graduate Students (AGS) conference, which took place earlier this month. Both awardees were selected by a committee comprised of staff, faculty, and students from a pool of 13 nominations. 

Both awards aim to recognize the vital role graduate program coordinators play in supporting UC Davis graduate students. "Graduate program coordinators are often a graduate student’s first point of contact on campus, and they support students all the way through graduation," explained Rachel de los Reyes, Director of Advising for Graduate Studies. "Each nomination represents years of service toward helping graduate students reach their academic and professional goals."

This year, the committee conferred a special award for innovation. The Innovation Award recognizes coordinators that develop new or effective methods for advising or supporting graduate students that have made a positive impact on graduate students and/or the graduate program.

2021-2022 Outstanding Graduate Coordinator Award 

Lauren Worrell, Ed.D.
Graduate Program Coordinator,
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Nomination Excerpt: "She has helped me countless times even on things that undoubtedly were outside of her role. Her willingness to listen to graduate students about issues or concerns within the program and address them in a timely fashion is greatly appreciated, such as the explanation of the funding guide she recently developed a recent qualifying exam information session and panel.  Lauren simplifies the complicated aspects of the graduate school process for each graduate student, undoubtedly reducing stress along the way..."

2021-2022 Innovation Award 

Rosaisela Rodriguez, Ph.D.
Associate Director,
CANDEL (Ed.D) Educational Leadership Program

Nomination Excerpt: "Dr. Rosa is the lifeline for voyaging through the graduate experience at UC Davis. So many of us have relied on her calm demeanor and practical guidance, starting with the application process to the qualifying exam to filing our final paperwork. She seems to have endless patience for dealing with our most stressed, unattractive selves; and is at the ready to celebrate our smallest accomplishments to grand milestones."

Both of this year's awardees will receive a letter of recognition from the Vice Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies, acknowledgment at the annual Advising Graduate Students Conference, a gift card, and a one-year membership to NACADA, the global community for academic advising. 

Visit the Graduate Studies website for more information on the Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator Award and other awards for service, teaching, and research.