Students in discussion at the Writing Center

2025 annual report

About Undergraduate Education 

The Office of Undergraduate Education comprises several units that, together, foster diverse, innovative and transformative educational experiences.

2025 Year in Review

  • The Undergraduate Research Center facilitates research opportunities for UC Davis undergraduates in all majors. In spring 2025, the center launched the Aggie Scholars Research Initiative, expanding research opportunities for social sciences, arts and humanities undergraduates. A record number of student researchers — more than 1,000 — presented at the 2025 Undergraduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activities Research Conference.
  • The UC Davis Writing Center, which opened in 2023 as a dynamic hub for writing, expanded in 2025 to include the delivery of undergraduate entry-level, first-year composition and upper-division writing courses. The center also provides writing support to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty, through writing groups, seminars, retreats and writing consultations.
  • The 2025 Summer Sessions offered expanded virtual course offerings, including 59 online courses and 30 hybrid class options. Enrollment in the two six-week sessions and the Special Sessions increased by 643 students in 2025, marking a second year of growth for UC Davis’s Fourth Quarter.
  • The Center for Educational Effectiveness supports UC Davis faculty through learning analytics, tailored consultations, workshops, resources for all instructors and other instructional innovations. In 2025, the center refined its approach to faculty support with the launch of a faculty advisory committee and remodeled faculty learning communities. The center seeks to better measure its impact and advance the delivery of instructional support.

These Undergraduate Education units support students through high-impact learning and research experiences:

  • First-Year Seminars
  • Quarter at Aggie Square
  • Summer Sessions
  • Undergraduate Research Center
  • University Honors Program
  • Washington Program
  • Writing Center

These units offer tools and resources in support of faculty or advisors:

  • Center for Educational Effectiveness
  • Writing Center
  • Academic Advising Enrichment

Read more about the units

2025 highlights

Kayton Carter Named Executive Director for Academic Advising Enrichment

Former executive director of campus retention centers brings experience and perspective to advance equity in student outcomes.

Kayton Carter, MA has been named Executive Director for Academic Advising Enrichment at UC Davis. A unit of Undergraduate Education, Academic Advising Enrichment was established in 2014 to strengthen the UC Davis student experience by providing centralized, campus-wide leadership and advocacy for academic advising.

Taking A Hands-On Approach

Washington Program Director Helps Students Find Their Path   

By Sarah Colwell

Cheryl Purifoy’s mission is to give students real-world experiences that help them imagine their future.

As Director of the UC Davis Washington Program, Purifoy leads a team focused on equipping students to vie for competitive internships in the nation’s capital and connecting them with industry experts. 

Artist-Philanthropist-Educator David Garibaldi Visits Aggie Square

Sacramento Artist Performs for Students in Transformative Justice Studies

Leadership from Oak Ridge Elementary and Aggie Square joined the Quarter at Aggie Square’s Transformative Justice Studies students and faculty for a conversation with Sacramentan David Garibaldi about arts, education, and community.

“This past summer, we saw our world creating images that reflected how we felt, saying what we had no words for,” Garibaldi said. “Art has always been a voice for the unsaid.”

Beyond the Barriers: Research and Support for the System Impacted Community

A new initiative aimed at addressing the impacts of California’s carceral system – both on our campus and throughout the state and the nation–launches this month. Beyond the Barriers supports students, faculty, and staff who have been impacted by the carceral system:  those who have had an immediate family member incarcerated, arrested, or detained, or have been themselves. The initiative also fosters research on California’s carceral system, and offers educational resources. 

Leading Undergraduate Education in a Time of Change

Cynthia Carter Ching on becoming interim Vice Provost and Dean, confronting institutional racism, and remote learning

Cynthia Carter Ching, professor in the school of education, was appointed interim vice provost and dean for Undergraduate Education on July 15, 2020. She was associate dean for academic programs in the School of Education from 2015-2020 and faculty director of the education minor from 2008-2013. She has taught at UC Davis since 2007.

UE's Commitment to Dismantle Racism

Undergraduate Education is committed, personally and organizationally, to the ongoing work required to dismantle systems of racism and end individually racist practices. We believe this is required in order to create equitable classrooms and an equitable campus community for for our students, staff, and faculty.

Self Care Resources

Now more than ever, make time in your days for self-care. Here are some suggestions shared by UE Wellness Ambassadors Kara Moloney & Andrea Duff, generated by our colleagues Shantile Connolly and Bethany Wong of Student Health and Counseling Services. 

Remote Work Agreements During the COVID-19 Crisis

As we move into this period of remote work, every UE employee—staff and students—who will be working remotely needs to have a remote work agreement on file.  Even if you already have one in place, the University of California has specified that we must have remote agreements specific to the Coronavirus crisis.

Please complete these three steps:

Connect with Your Professors

Whether you're a brand new student at UC Davis or have been here for a while, it's important to know how to connect with your professors. We teamed up with some great teachers from throughout campus to help you make those connections.