Faculty & Staff Stewardship Awards Program

Award Objective

A successful fundraising and development program integrates stewardship at every step of the cycle. Stewardship, as it pertains to this award, is a process whereby an organization seeks to be worthy of continued philanthropic support, including the acknowledgment of gifts, donor recognition, the honoring of donor intent, prudent investment of gifts, and the effective and efficient use of funds to further the mission of the organization (AFP Fundraising Directory).

The Office of Development and Alumni Relations and the UC Davis Foundation Board Stewardship Committee proudly recognizes UC Davis faculty and staff who, although their job descriptions may not include donor stewardship, demonstrate excellent results in engaging with and acknowledging our supporters. This award celebrates the important role that faculty and staff play in donor stewardship and relationship-building. 

Please take a moment to consider the notable leadership and efforts of faculty and staff members you know. Tell us about the meaningful ways they are stewarding our friends and helping realize the goals of UC Davis.

Submit a Nomination

Award Categories

• Faculty or Campus Leadership
• Staff
• *Lifetime Achievement Award (Lifetime Achievement Award will only be awarded as applicable, not necessarily on an annual basis)

Winners will be recognized at a Foundation Board meeting and will receive a token of appreciation as well as an article in Dateline that celebrates their work.

Award Criteria

The nominee…

• Demonstrates the impact of a donor’s philanthropy
• Stewards through activities that are personalized and meaningful to the donor(s)
• Strengthens the relationship between UC Davis and the donor(s)
• Shows persistence and commitment to high-quality stewardship efforts

Who May Nominate

Any UC Davis employee, UC Davis Foundation Board Trustee or campus volunteer who is familiar with the individual may nominate.  Individuals may not self-nominate and are not eligible to win more than one award in a five-year period. Development and Alumni Relations employees are not eligible, as this award recognizes employees who work beyond the scope of their job descriptions to steward donors.

Nominators will be recognized by the vice chancellor at a University Development meeting.

Instructions to Nominate

The nominator must…

• Complete the Faculty and Staff Stewardship Award Nomination Form below
• Write a letter of recommendation (1-2 pages)
  • Letters of recommendation should demonstrate the nominee’s persistence & commitment to high-quality stewardship efforts, and how stewardship has improved their program, relationships with donors and fundraising efforts. Optional attachments may include publications, articles, donor feedback, and other related data.
• Submit the nomination form, recommendation letter & supporting documents to Angie Joens via email amjoens@ucdavis.edu.

Download the nomination form

Questions to Think About While Writing Nomination Statement

• How has this nominee strengthened the relationship between the donor(s) and UC Davis?
• How has the nominee successfully communicated the impact of a gift or other support to a donor(s)? In other words, in what ways did the nominee convey, “Because of your support, we were able to . . .”
• Are the nominee’s stewardship efforts innovative?
• What are some of the positive outcomes of this faculty/staff member’s excellent stewardship efforts (donor gave another gift, took on a leadership role, connected another supporter to the university, etc.)?

Read about our past winners for inspiration below.

Annual Award Timeline

• Call for Nominations: February 12
• Nomination Deadline: April 3
• Winners Notified: May
• Award Ceremony: October

Tell the story: Articulate relationship-building or outstanding behavioral patterns that define outcomes.

Examples/Attachments: Provide examples as attachments to help reviewers visualize the efforts.

Quotes/Endorsements: Use testimonials from donors, coworkers or leadership.

Qualitative & Quantitative: Demonstrate the qualitative aspects and quantitative successes.

• Faculty Stewardship Award: Joe DiNunzio, executive director, Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Staff Stewardship Award: Susie Owens, production manager, Department of Theatre and Dance
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Brant Allen, retired field lab director and boat captain, Tahoe Environmental Research Center

Article about honorees

• Faculty Stewardship Award: Kimberley McAllister, Professor of Neurology and Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior; and Director of the Center for Neuroscience
• Staff Stewardship Award: Tammy Ainsley, Director of UC Davis Health Patient and Guest Relations
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Marcie Kirk Holland, Executive Director of the Internship and Career Center

Article about honorees

• Faculty Stewardship Award: Selina Wang, Ph.D., Research Director, Olive Center; and Cooperative Extension Specialist, Department of Food Science and Technology
• Staff Stewardship Award: Carlas McCauley, EdD, Director of Research and Partnerships and Executive Director of the Resourcing Excellence in Education (REEd) Center, School of Education
• Staff Stewardship Award: Carson Jeffres, Ph.D., Field and Lab Director and Senior Researcher, Center for Watershed Sciences

Article about honorees

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Jeffery C. Gibeling, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering; and Interim Dean, College of Engineering
• Faculty Stewardship Award: Michele C. Lim, M.D., Ophthalmologist, Medical Director and Vice Chair, UC Davis Eye Center; and Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science Engineering
• Staff Stewardship Award: James “Jamey” Wright, Head Coach, Women’s Water Polo

Article about honorees

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Gibbe H. Parsons, M.D., Professor Emeritus and Medical Director, Managed Care and Continuing Medical Education, UC Davis Health
• Faculty Stewardship Award: Thomas P. Tomich, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Environmental Science & Policy; Director, Agriculture Sustainability Institute
• Staff Stewardship Award: Judie Boehmer, RN, MN, NEA-BC, FABC, Executive Director, Patient Care Services, UC Davis Children’s Hospital

Article about honorees

• Lifetime Achievement Award: John M. Eadie, Ph.D., D. G. Raveling Chair, Department of Wildlife, Fish & Conservation Biology
• Staff Stewardship Award: Lauren E. Snow, Financial Aid Director, UC Davis Health
• Staff Stewardship Award: Joseph K. Gaydos V.M.D., Ph.D., Science Director, SeaDoc Society; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Staff Stewardship Award: Jana Katz-Bell, BS ’91, M.P.H., Assistant Dean for Interprofessional Programs, Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing and UC Davis School of Medicine

Article about honorees

Open 2017 Winners configuration options

• Faculty Stewardship Award: Leonard J. Abbeduto, Ph.D., Director, UC Davis MIND Institute
• Faculty Stewardship Award: Michael S. Kent, D.V.M., ’97, Director of the Center for Companion Animal Health, School of Veterinary Medicine
• Staff Stewardship Award: Charles “Chik” Brenneman, ’00, Supervisor, Viticulture and Enology

Article about honorees

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Ralph W. de Vere White, M.D., UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Faculty Stewardship Award: Charles W. Bamforth, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Food Science and Technology
• Staff Stewardship Award: Mark J. Van Horn, Director, UC Davis Student Farm

Article about honorees

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Roger Boulton, Ph.D., Stephen Sinclair Scott Chair, Professor, Viticulture and Enology
• Faculty Stewardship Award: Mark J. Mannis, MD, FACS, Fosse Endowed Chair in Vision Science Research, Professor and Chair, Department of Ophthalmology and Vision Science, UC Davis Eye Center
• Staff Stewardship Award: Zachary Frieders, Director, UC Davis Study Abroad

Article about honorees