Maureen Stanton
Alan Taylor
Frank Samaniego
Investing the prize money
When the UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement was first awarded in 1987, it included a cash prize of $25,000. The prize is now worth $40,000 and is thought to be the largest of its kind in the nation (the award is taxable). Here's how some former recipients have used the award.
Dean Simonton, Psychology, 1994: Donated half the prize to endow the Simonton Prize for Excellence in Undergraduate Research, awarded at commencement. "The rest was spent on my family -- new computer equipment, bicycles, etc."
Ken Verosub, Geology, 1996: Donated about half of the prize money back to the university to support various programs in undergraduate education.
Alan Taylor, History, 2002: Donated $20,000 to the Roland Marchand Memorial Fund, an endowment that supports graduate students.
Frank Samaniego, Statistics, 2004: Provided funds to establish the annual "Dean's Award" for a graduate student in the Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences whose teaching and scholarship are judged to be outstanding. Also used funds to support travel to conferences and visits to research collaborators, and to hire undergraduate readers for his classes.
Maureen Stanton, Evolution and Ecology, 2005: "I did use a small portion of the prize to buy a good digital camera body that I use for my research. The rest is temporarily invested, and I hope eventually to use it for travel to fabulous biological destinations such as the Galapagos."
Jay Mechling, American Studies, 2006: Directed $10,000 of the prize to create an endowment for the Integrated Studies Program, a residential honors program for high-achieving first-year students.
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