UC Davis Health sponsored Celebrate Oak Park for the sixth consecutive year on July 11. Staff from 11 work teams provided blood pressure screenings, stroke awareness, heat illness and smoke inhalation prevention resources, cancer screening information, career services outreach and other important services for community members.

The CMSP AvenueM application cycle for the 2026-2027 academic year is now OPEN! Students who are early in their community college coursework or plan to transfer to a transfer institution Fall 2027 or beyond are encouraged to apply.

Deadline: November 1, 2026

Learn more about this opportunity

As the Center for Reducing Health Disparities marks its twentieth anniversary, Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola reflects on the work that has shaped CRHD over two decades: from research and community partnerships to contributions that have helped influence national approaches to meaningful community engagement. With 56 grants and awards and more than $56 million invested, CRHD’s work has centered on a question that remains at the heart of its mission: how can institutions advance health and mental health equity with historically underserved communities through genuine community engagement?

Three UC Davis Health researchers have received state funding to advance precision medicine and expand access to data-driven care. Luis Carvajal-Carmona received $1.7 million through the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine’s Representative Research Partnerships Program, while M.D./Ph.D. students Joseph Morrison and Nikita Mohapatra received funding through the initiative’s inaugural Next-Gen Representative Research Program.

Community college students from across Northern California spent two weeks at the UC Davis School of Medicine this summer practicing clinical skills, connecting with physicians and medical students, and gaining a firsthand look at careers in medicine through AvenueM. From learning suturing and CPR to exploring trauma care and physical exams, the immersive experience helped students build the knowledge, confidence and relationships needed to pursue medical school.

After more than 24 years of advancing health equity and belonging, Dr. Hendry Ton, associate vice chancellor for Health Equity by Design for Inclusive Excellence (HEDI) will retire on Oct. 1. Through his leadership within the broader division, UC Davis Inclusive Excellence, health equity became more deeply embedded in the institution’s culture, programs and partnerships, creating a foundation that will continue to shape work for years to come.  

When Avenue M student Jessica de Laguna opened her MCAT score, years of work suddenly felt uncertain. After returning to school in her 30s and completing demanding science coursework, she had fallen short of the score she hoped for.

"I got a 490," she recalled. "So I have to retake it again."

For a student who had spent years battling imposter syndrome, it would have been easy to see the score as the end of the road. Instead, someone at UC Davis saw something else.

The UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities recently launched the Cultura for Resilience website, a new online hub highlighting resources, trainings, and project history connected to the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP). Since 2016, the center has served as a Technical Assistance Provider for seven Latino community-based organizations implementing Community Defined Evidence Practices (CDEPs) aimed at reducing mental health disparities in Latino communities across California.

UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities Director, Dr. Sergio Aguilar-Gaxiola collaborated with Dr. Lloyd Michener, and Dr. Pierluigi Mancini toco-author Chapter 23: Innovative Models for Mental Health Equity of the recently published Mental Health Equity book now available.

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On a sunny fall afternoon, the Activities and Recreation Center ballroom buzzed with music, laughter and conversation. A giant balloon arch adorned the entrance and dancers cheered on the more than 100 guests who arrived to celebrate the culmination of the 35th anniversary of the UC Davis Principles of Community.