Opening doors
Across UC Davis and UC Davis Health, donors are bringing to fruition capital projects that are transforming both campuses. Here’s a sneak peek at this year’s openings.
Edwards Family Athletics Center
Aggie athletes got a back-to-school gift like no other this fall: an innovative training center built just for them. The Edwards Family Athletics Center, built with support from Bruce and Diane Edwards and other dedicated donors, opened in September to boost the health, well-being and success of student-athletes on UC Davis’ 25 intercollegiate teams. The 45,000-square-foot facility houses sports medicine offices; training facilities and instruction spaces; a full-size, natural grass practice field for all sports; and a newly renovated Bob Foster Team Center.
Class of 1968 Gateway
In April, the Class of 1968 Gateway was unveiled in a pre-Picnic Day celebration. The seven-foot-high, 54-foot-long metal structure welcomes all to campus from its prominent location at the corner of Howard Way and Russell Boulevard. It was built with support from the class of 1968 and their partnership with Campus Planning and Environmental Stewardship.
Ernest E. Tschannen Eye Institute
The institute opens this winter as UC Davis’ new hub for state-of-the-art eye care, research to cure blinding diseases, and training for ophthalmologists and vision scientists. Grateful patient Ernest E. Tschannen, who gave $18.5 million toward the building, and other key donors celebrated its dedication this fall. The 58,000-square-foot institute will feature improved clinical care and faculty spaces, as well as the new Center for Ocular Regenerative Therapy (CORT) clinic, which is focused on research and care for patients with genetic retinal diseases.
Wyatt Deck at the Arboretum
This campus icon has served as a nature-based classroom and host to vibrant community events for more than 50 years; however, decades of use had caused the original redwood boards to deteriorate. Opened in August, the new and improved deck offers an ideal, accessible destination that encourages community connection and will inspire environmental education for future generations. The deck is named after Fred Wyatt, a former UC Davis volunteer, and was funded by the Unger-Yackzan family.
Coming soon: A new home for Native American art
Thanks to the support of donors, the C.N. Gorman Museum broke ground on new renovations in April 2021 to create an improved space for its exhibitions and collections.
Founded in 1973 by the Department of Native American Studies in honor of artist and professor Carl Nelson Gorman, the museum is committed to the creative expressions of Native American artists and artists of diverse cultures and histories, and exhibiting works by living Indigenous artists.
Funding opportunities are still available to complete this historic project, scheduled to open in 2023.
