UCD Alum Stephanie Fallas Wins 2026 Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator Award

Stephanie Fallas — Graduate Program Coordinator for the Department of Communication and Department of Linguistics — has been honored with the 2026 Outstanding Graduate Program Coordinator Award from the Office of Graduate Studies. “Stephanie has been an invaluable advocate for graduate students, consistently going above and beyond her formal duties,” said Skyler Jove Reese, Ph.D. ’25 in linguistics, who praised Fallas’ “unwavering” support of students, both professionally and personally.

Fallas, who oversees about 60 students across the two departments, was “touched and grateful” to receive the award, primarily because it recognizes the impact of her work on her graduate students, whom she calls her “first priority.” 

“The most rewarding part of my job is being part of [my students’] educational journey, supporting them along the way, and watching them grow and succeed,” she said. “I truly love what I do, and knowing that my work has made a difference in a student’s experience at UC Davis is incredibly meaningful to me.”

An Aggie supporting Aggies

Fallas began her own higher education journey right here at UC Davis. She chose UC Davis after touring several universities she was considering because she found it a forward-thinking and welcoming institution. Above all, it was a place “where I could see myself growing.” After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she found a job on campus working with undergraduates. In 2017, she transitioned to her current role as graduate program coordinator, which has allowed her to support students in a “different and broader way.”

“Working with graduate students has given me the opportunity to be involved in so many different aspects of their academic journey, from admissions and funding to advising and helping them navigate the university,” she said. “I’ve found a role where I can use my strengths to advocate for students, help solve problems, and hopefully make their experience at UC Davis a little easier.”

That advocacy, she stressed, is a collaborative undertaking. She works closely with departmental faculty and her staff peers to ensure that her graduate students succeed. “We all have different roles, but we are working toward the same goal — supporting our students and being there to celebrate their accomplishments,” she said.

Open communication, trust, and valuing the different perspectives both faculty and staff bring to the table are the keys to this successful collaboration, Fallas said. And from the robust support Fallas received from her colleagues for this award, it’s clear she lives these values.  

“We also want to emphasize that this nomination is not a case of excellence recognized by only a few close colleagues; it is a case of sustained, visible, widely acknowledged excellence,” said Bo Feng, Chair and Professor of Communication, and Santiago Barreda-Castanon, Interim Chair and Associate Professor of Linguistics, in their joint recommendation of Fallas for this award. “Year after year, Stephanie has earned the admiration, gratitude, and trust of everyone who works with her.”

Her faculty colleagues have called her “incredible,” “tireless,” “essential,” “without peer,” even “superhuman,” and all of her supporters noted the scope of her impact. Even beyond her departments, Fallas’ contributions make a mark.

“[Stephanie’s] leadership reaches across campus as Co-Chair of the Graduate Studies Advisory Committee, where she promotes collaborative, system-wide solutions to improve graduate education” Jessie Murray, Chief Administrative Officer for the Orange Cluster, said. “Past contributions include serving on the UC Advising Graduate Student Conference Committee and the Advising for Equity Administrative Advisory Committee.”

With so many people and so many units recognizing the value Fallas brings to the UC Davis graduate education community, it’s clear her Aggie roots are not just a line on her CV — they are an integral part of how and why she does what she does.

“I understand what it feels like to be a student here because I was one myself, and I love being able to come full circle and now be someone who supports students during such an important part of their education,” she said.

Giving people the benefit of the doubt

Fallas sums up her work philosophy with one rule: always give people the benefit of the doubt. “I try to remember that there is a person sitting in front of me who has so much potential and so much to offer the world,” she said. “Graduate school can be challenging, and sometimes students just need someone in their corner who will listen, help them navigate the university, or simply remind them that they are capable of getting through whatever they are facing.”

This focus on attention and care led at least one of her graduate students to finish their degree even in the face of adversity. “She has counseled me through difficult decisions, including the possibility of leaving my graduate program,” said Reese. “Her genuine concern for my well-being, even when it could have negatively impacted our department, was a key factor in my decision to stay and ultimately complete my degree.”

Fallas’ current students echo this sentiment. “What I value the most about academia — advocacy for students and creating diverse, strong, and supportive intellectual communities — comes from observing Stephanie’s work,” said Rachel McKenzie, Ph.D. ’26 in communication. “She not only models these principles for me but also recognizes my potential and creates opportunities for me to be involved.”

Fallas argues that the graduate program coordinator role is complex and multifaceted. There’s no single approach that works for every graduate program or group, and no single approach to every student. 

“For me,” said Fallas, “supporting students is about meeting them where they are, helping them grow, and giving them the support and encouragement they need to succeed.”

As the graduate education landscape continues to evolve, so does the graduate program coordinator role. Fallas recognizes this, and she embraces it. She believes she and her peers must work together, learn from each other, and keep improving the graduate student experience. It’s a high level goal. But, as she has illustrated time and again, Fallas knows what that means for her work, in her departments, day in and day out. 

“Failure, mistakes, and setbacks are part of life,” she said. “My job is to help [graduate students] find their strengths, encourage them to keep moving forward, and remind them that one difficult moment does not determine their future. There is always tomorrow.”