Support the Graduate School of Management

The UC Davis Graduate School of Management—with its nationally ranked programs, internationally ranked faculty, and caring and collaborative community—is uniquely positioned to create the leaders and workforce our society needs and deserves. As part of UC Davis’ Expect Greater fundraising campaign, the Graduate School of Management is seeking funds to support three key areas that will ensure the School’s success now and into the future.

Promoting Educational Excellence

The Graduate School of Management’s distinct programming emphasizes the power of entrepreneurialism, network-building and collaboration, which will ensure our graduates can bring a new style of leadership to any industry. Your gifts will allow a greater diversity of exceptional students to experience the Graduate School of Management’s unrivaled teaching and graduate ready to make a positive impact on the world.

Student Scholarships

Gifts for Graduate School of Management Student Scholarships provide critical funds for dispersing general student financial support for MBA students.

Student Professional Development

Gifts to the Student Professional Development Fund helps cover costs students may incur to travel to conferences, seminars and business competitions that enrich their student experience.

Outstanding Female Leadership & Impact Award Fund

Created by the Bay Area MBA Class of 2018, the Outstanding Female Leadership & Impact Award Fund is to provide support for a Graduate School of Management graduate student(s) who self-identifies as female, demonstrates exceptional leadership qualities, has made significant contributions to the Graduate School of Management community, and has positively contributed to supporting and promoting women in business.

The Pride Award

Gifts to this award support full-time student(s) from the LGBTQIA community and LGBTQIA allies in attending the annual Reaching Out MBA (ROMBA) Conference. The GSM has a long term goal to create a ROMBA LGBT+ Fellowship: This is a joint effort between UC Davis and Reaching Out to support LGBT+ and active ally business leaders of tomorrow.

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Below is a list of private gifts:

William F. and Jean M. Allewelt Endowed Award for Management Students 

Established by William and Jean Allewelt, this scholarship is one of the first endowed awards at the GSM and supports a Full-Time MBA student in good academic standing (est. 1998).

Brad Atwood Endowed Scholarship 

Established by Virginia and Greg Kelsch to honor the pivotal role that Brad Atwood, former vice-chancellor at UC Irvine, played in recognizing Virginia’s career potential. This scholarship supports an MBA student who plans to pursue a career or who has an interest in not-for-profit organizations and management (est. 1993).

Avala Family Endowed Scholarship

Established by Chakrii and Lakshmi Avala to provide student support for MBA students in the Graduate School of Management (est. 2023). 

Joanne R. Bethlahmy Student Scholarship

Established by Joanne R. Bethlahmy, JD, MBA, to support an incoming MBA student, with preference given to full-time students interested in marketing, strategy or consulting. Additional preference is given to graduates of UC Davis, UC Berkeley or UC Hastings (est. 2017).

Paul and Susan Bianchi GSM Student Award

Established by Paul and Susan Bianchi to assist in recruiting outstanding students to the full-time and part-time MBA programs (est. 2021).

California Wine Industry Endowed Management Education Award

Established to honor the strong partnership the California wine industry has with Professor Emeritus Robert Smiley, this fellowship supports an outstanding MBA student who is interested in becoming a wine industry professional (est. 1998).

Crystal A. Coleman MPAc Fellowship

Established by GSM Lecturer Crystal Coleman, this fellowship is to recruit students with a non-business undergraduate degree to come to the Master of Professional Accountancy program (est. 2018).

James R. and Georgia K. Corbett Endowed Fellowship for Student Entrepreneurs

Established by James and Georgia Corbett, passionate mentors and long-time supporters of the School, this fellowship supports an outstanding MBA student who is judged to have the motivation, potential and passion for succeeding in the entrepreneurial world (est. 2000).

Dolan Family Endowed Management Education Award, with Matching Support from the UC Davis Foundation

Established by Eamonn and Kathleen Dolan, this award supports Full-Time MBA students who have overcome significant financial hardships or other obstacles (est. 2013).

Richard and Joy Dorf Endowed Graduate Award, with Matching Support from the UC Davis Foundation

Established by Professor Emeritus Dick Dorf and his wife, Joy, this award assists in recruiting outstanding students for the Full-Time MBA program (est. 2013).

Richard and Joy Dorf Endowed Fellowship, with Matching Support from the Graduate Student Fellowship Matching Initiative

Established by Richard C. and Joy M. Dorf, this award supports students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds defined as students from low-income backgrounds as defined by the Graduate Financial Aid Office and for students who have demonstrated potential for leadership in increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities in business (est. 2015).

Richard C. Dorf Endowed Awards for Academic Excellence

Established by Richard Dorf in appreciation for all that the GSM has meant to him over the years, and in recognition of outstanding students who graduate from UC Davis with an MBA degree. Three awards are presented at commencement to MBA students in each of the three programs in recognition of the highest GPA (est. 1999).

Michael Fitzsimons Wine Industry Award

Established by the Michael-David Winery Foundation to provide student support for a full-time or part-time MBA student who is planning to pursue a career in the wine industry and is in good academic standing (3.0 grade point average) (est. 2013).

Founders’ Fund Award

Established by GSM Professor Paul A. Griffin and his wife, Eva, this fellowship supports an MPAc student formally enrolled in the Masters of Professional Accountancy program Additional generous gifts have been donated by several accounting firms, as well as MPAc alumni and other supporters (est. 2014).   

Robert and Miriam Glock Endowed Graduate Award

Established by Miriam Glock to support the recruitment and retention of Full-Time MBA students who pursue their studies and careers in finance, and who exhibit financial need. The finance field was selected to honor Miriam Glock’s late husband, Robert Glock, and his successful career in finance (est. 2013).

HM.Clause Agricultural Business Fellowship

Established by HM.Clause Inc. to award an MBA student who has demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the agriculture industry (specifically related to crop and seed development) and possesses the drive and leadership potential to succeed in this business (est. 2016).

Joncarlo and Jami Mark Endowed Scholarship 

Established by Joncarlo Mark MBA 00, and his wife Jami Rubin-Mark, this scholarship is to assist in recruiting outstanding students with financial needs to help ease their burden of educational expenses such as books and information technology that will enable them to thrive in the MBA program. The scholarship is available for both full-time and part-time students (est. 2019).

Stephen G. and Shelley A. Newberry Endowed Distinguished Fellowship

Established for an MBA student who has the potential to be a successful team leader in business. The recipient may not be of the highest academic ranking, but demonstrates great potential for leadership (est. 2008).

Kenneth E. and Joanne M. Nitzberg Endowed Scholarship

In appreciation for what UC Davis has meant to them, Ken and Joanne Nitzberg made this gift especially to benefit re-entry women students in the MBA program. The two-year endowed fellowship honors Ken’s mother who returned to finish her college education after raising her family (est. 1998).

Rancer Family Fellowship

Established by Michael and Susan Rancer, this fellowship is awarded to students who have demonstrated a commitment to removing barriers historically faced by underrepresented or underserved populations (est. 2021).

Robert H. Smiley Endowed Leadership Award

Established by the School in recognition of Robert H. Smiley’s leadership as dean of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management from 1989 to 2003. Three awards are presented at commencement to MBA students in each of the three programs in recognition of outstanding leadership (est. 2003).

The RSM Student Scholarship

Established by RSM US LLP to recruit a student into the MPAc program who is interested in mid-market accounting firms (est. 2018).

James F. Sullivan Endowed Award for Outstanding Service

Established in James F. Sullivan’s honor upon his retirement as Vice-Chancellor of Business and Finance at UC Davis. One award is presented at commencement to an MBA student in recognition of outstanding service (est. 1991).

Will Snyder Endowed Awards for MPAc Excellence

Established by the Executive Director of the Masters of Professional Accountancy Program, Will Snyder and his wife Helena, they have established two MPAc awards to be presented at commencement. The Leadership Award recognizes a graduating MPAc student who demonstrates outstanding leadership in activities and enterprise in the MPAc program. The Academic Achievement Award recognizes a graduating MPAc student with the highest cumulative GPA (est. 2016).

Ueltzen Emerging Leader Fellowship

Established by Michael Ueltzen, CPA/CFF, CFE, to provide support and recognition for a graduate student entering the MPAc program who has demonstrated leadership characteristics prior to graduate school. Leadership may be demonstrated in an academic environment, at a previous employer or in another organization. The goal is to attract applicants to the MPAc program, where they will receive the academic foundation needed to enter the accounting profession. More importantly, the program aims to combine academic learning with leadership qualities to help students become leaders in their profession (est. 2020).

Zaiss Ventures Endowed Fellowship with Matching Support from the Graduate Fellowship Initiative

Established by Zaiss Ventures to provide support to outstanding students in the Graduate School of Management (est. 2015).

Growing our Intellectual Capital

Graduate School of Management’s internationally ranked faculty are a driving force behind our strong intellectual capital as they are among the most productive researchers and highest-quality instructors in the world. Through gifts to nurture and expand our stellar faculty and programs, the Graduate School of Management will continue to earn national and international recognition and grow our service to society.

Support a Faculty Endowment

Funds to create endowed faculty positions at the Graduate School of Management support the recruitment and retainment of world-class faculty at the School. Donors who make contributions to support faculty positions often do so because of the ripple effect that person can have through the nature of their work, both in educating students and advancing research in their field.

Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset

Creating an entrepreneurial mindset among business leaders and all members of the workforce will be essential if society is to solve the world’s most urgent problems and the business world is to thrive. Supporting the Graduate School of Management in this area will allow us to combine UC Davis’ research strengths across numerous disciplines and the Graduate School of Management’s centers for entrepreneurship and innovation so that, together, we can promote innovative ways to find solutions and opening pathways for commercializing leading-edge research.

UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition

Gifts to the UC Davis Big Bang! Business Competition provides funds for mentorship, team creation, education, networking and financing to aspiring entrepreneurs who compete in this annual competition.

Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Gifts to the Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship support our entrepreneurial initiatives and helps science and engineering researchers move their research and technologies out of the lab and into the world where they can have a positive impact.

Building the Entrepreneurial Mindset Fund

Innovation and entrepreneurship, or I&E, is of critical importance to today’s students and to the global society in which they will collaborate and lead. UC Davis is redefining I&E as an essential mindset as well as a multifaceted skill set. This fund embed I&E into undergraduate programs across the university, with the ultimate vision of reaching the full range of UC Davis learners, from pre-college students to alumni and executives. We will equip the UC Davis community with the resources, training and experiential opportunities needed to move innovations forward—from a multi-campus network of maker spaces that provide critical hands-on experience to a new minor designed to work across majors.

Below is a list of private gifts:

Andrew Barkett Business Plan Competition Endowment

Established by GSM alumnus Andrew Barkett MBA 09, the fund supports both the current Big Bang! Business Competition, as well as provides administrative support for planning and execution of Big Bang! (est. 2013).

Beamish and Hilliard Families Endowment for Entrepreneurship

Established by the Beamish and Hilliard Families to support the marketing efforts of the UC Davis Child Family Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (est. 2013).

Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Endowment

Established by a generous gift from UC Davis alumni Mike Child B.S. 76 and Renee Child B.A. 76, funds from this endowment provide support for the creation and ongoing activities of the campus-wide Child Family Institute (est. 2011).

UC Davis Center for Entrepreneurship Endowment

Made possible by a generous gift designated from the estate of Charles J. Soderquist M.S. 73, Ph.D. 78 to the Graduate School of Management’s Child Family Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Funds support the Child Family Institute’s research, teaching and the diverse selection of programs (est. 2009).

Harkins Innovation and Entrepreneurship Endowment

Established by Malcom Harkins MBA 92 and his wife Kim Harkins M.A. 92, this endowment provides unrestricted support for the greatest needs of the Mike and Renee Child Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Keller Pathway Fellowship Endowment

Established by Barry and Lynda Keller to provide a pathway for university innovators and entrepreneurs to take the work developed at the Child Family Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s Entrepreneurship Academies to the next level through mentoring, networking, and additional programmatic support (est. 2015).

CleanTech Award Sponsored by Clean Start

The Endowed Fund was established by Gary Simon with the intention to encourage more participants with CleanTech business concepts to enter the competition by awarding a monetary prize for submissions into the “clean technology” sub-category (est. 2017).