Three 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis staff and faculty members were recognized this fall for their remarkable efforts to steward donors and raise the culture of philanthropy across the university.
The Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Foundation presented the 2024 Faculty and Staff Stewardship Awards during a ceremony on Oct. 19. The recipients are:
- Staff Award 鈥 Sheri Atkinson, associate vice chancellor for student life, campus community and retention services
- Faculty Award 鈥 Wolf-Dietrich Heyer, distinguished professor and chair, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics
- Lifetime Achievement Award 鈥 Kathleen Socolofsky, director of the Arboretum and Public Garden and assistant vice chancellor of Finance, Operations and Administration
鈥淭he faculty and staff honored this year share an exceptional vision for the future of philanthropy at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis. They have gone above and beyond in their efforts to leave a lasting impact on our campus and in our community,鈥 said Shaun B. Keister, vice chancellor for Development and Alumni Relations and president of the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Foundation.
Staff Award
As a member of the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis community for over 20 years, , Ed.D. 鈥14, has played a key role in generating philanthropic support for the university through thoughtful engagement of campus partners and donors.
Atkinson鈥檚 ability to connect with individuals on a deep and meaningful level has made her a successful steward. Her efforts have led to unrestricted gifts for student life, support for the Division of Student Affairs and several new endowments to support marginalized communities across campus.
One such example includes a $1 million gift to create the Gonzalez Pre-Law Academy, which at the time was the largest-ever gift to Student Affairs. Today, she stays connected with the donor and involved with the program to ensure its success.
There are countless inspiring stories about Atkinson鈥檚 impacts across campus. She enjoys connecting with new donors and offers personalized tours and other opportunities that provide a unique 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis experience.
In recent years, she went above and beyond to support a student and their family during a challenging time, which resulted in an endowment for the LGBTQIA Center. And her efforts to provide a 鈥渨arm and welcoming listening space鈥 for a colleague of many years led to a gift of unrestricted funds for Student Life named in Atkinson鈥檚 honor.
Just as she does with students, Atkinson is always looking for ways to ways to provide resources and enhance someone鈥檚 experience at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis.
Faculty Award
, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, has 鈥渞aised the bar鈥 for how to engage 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis supporters and build lifelong relationships with donors.
For over 25 years, Heyer has served as a leading faculty member and biologist in the field of DNA repair, and during that time he has built a culture of philanthropy and set a precedent for excellence across the College of Biological Sciences.
In 2018, Heyer established a fundraising committee in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics to drive support for students, faculty and programs in biological sciences. Every year the committee identifies fundraising initiatives for Give Day, and Heyer makes a personal gift to kickstart the fundraising and launch a Give Day Challenge.
His willingness to elevate philanthropy at 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis knows no geographic bounds, even continuing his efforts while overseas on sabbatical in Japan. He also worked with the Cal Aggie Alumni Association to invite alumni to his seminars in Tokyo and Osaka, providing a vital opportunity for engagement and stewardship.
Expressing gratitude is important to Heyer, who is known for his handwritten thank-you notes to make sure donors know how impactful their gifts are. His thoughtful stewardship efforts have resulted in the establishment of many new endowments and millions of dollars in private support.
Lifetime Achievement Award
has worn many hats during her remarkable 26 years at the 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Arboretum and Public Garden 鈥 visionary leader, trusted mentor, community advocate and passionate steward.
As assistant vice chancellor in the Office of Administration and Resource Management and director of the Arboretum and Public Garden, Socolofsky has been transformative in turning the entire campus into an inviting learning landscape and dynamic space for community engagement.
Under Socolofsky鈥檚 innovative leadership, the Arboretum has seen record fundraising years, several new endowments created and a surge in donor support. Her fundraising and stewardship efforts have contributed greatly to beneficial projects such as the , and .
Often going the extra mile to stay in touch with donors, Socolofsky enjoys sharing impactful stories of how their gifts have made a difference. She does this through personal thank-you notes, videos from student interns, photo books, special tours, and more. Many of her donor relationships span decades, such as that with philanthropists John and Lois Crowe, recipients of the 2018 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis Medal and 2022 Soderquist Award.
Socolofsky has worked diligently to intertwine the Arboretum鈥檚 mission with that of 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis to grow both internal and external support. Her dedication to 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis and ability to foster lasting connections has left a legacy that will benefit the campus, local community and the environment for years to come.
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Cody Kitaura is the editor of Dateline 新澳门六合彩内幕信息 Davis and can be reached by email or at 530-752-1932.