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UC Davis Identity Standards

About the UC Davis brand statement

UC Davis means many things to many people. The brand statement distills who we are and how we are unique as a university, in a way that resonates across audiences. It expresses the strengths and character that UC Davis has developed over a century of growth and accomplishment, as identified through qualitative and quantitative research that involved faculty, alumni, donors, public policymakers, academic peer representatives and other important audiences.

UC Davis brand statement

Health; the economy; what we eat and drink; the way we live and work together; how we find meaning through art, music, and literature; how we steward the Earth—everything that matters to us as human beings, UC Davis touches and transforms. Through education and innovation—uniquely interdisciplinary, incubated in California—UC Davis has impact around the world.

How do we make a difference? As we enter our second century, we take inspiration from our roots as a pioneering “ag” school—translating our heritage into forward-looking discoveries that shape the quality of life for people everywhere. We marshal the broad excellence of our university in cross-disciplinary collaboration. We partner with California on pace-setting solutions. We cultivate a “hometown” campus environment, and an inclusive, collegial, down-to-earth community that values diversity and empowers the individual. And we prepare our students to contribute, partner, and lead by carrying UC Davis values—and UC Davis pride—into the world.

How to use the brand statement

The brand statement provides guidance and inspiration and serves as a reference tool to help create communications materials. For instance, before drafting talking points for your dean, you might want to consult the brand statement. You can then create your own wording that presents the dean’s messages within a greater UC Davis context and that fits with the tone of the speech.

Although it might be appropriate to use some of the wording, the entire brand statement should not be used verbatim. The following two summaries, based on the brand statement, can be used for practical purposes.

UC Davis in 100 words

  • Inspirational: The University of California, Davis, touches everything that matters to us as human beings. From our health to the economy, to what we eat and drink, to how we experience and interpret life, UC Davis has impact through teaching, research and public service. For more than 100 years, we have prepared and inspired students and discovered solutions to some of society’s most pressing problems. As we look to the future, we address those things that matter most to California in order to transform the world.
  • Informational: For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $600 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges—Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science—and advanced degrees from six professional schools—Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.