College of Letters and Science Dean Atekwana Reappointed

Estella Atekwana has been reappointed to a second five-year term as dean of the College of Letters and Science following the completion of a comprehensive performance review. The committee charged with conducting the review offered its unanimous and enthusiastic endorsement of her reappointment. 

Reviewers praised Atekwana as a strategic, collaborative and resilient leader who has strengthened the college in numerous ways. They credited her with aligning resources with the college’s academic priorities, communicating openly about institutional challenges, fostering a stronger sense of community and demonstrating a genuine commitment to faculty, staff and students. The committee also highlighted the steadfast transparency and clarity she brought to navigating significant financial constraints and institutional complexity.

“Dean Atekwana has guided the college through a period of extraordinary change, including disruptions caused by persistent budget pressures, as well as policy and operational shifts across higher education,” said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Mary Croughan. “Throughout these challenges, she has led with remarkable clarity and resolve, making thoughtful decisions that advance the college’s academic mission while keeping faculty, staff and students informed along the way. Her vision, resilience and deep commitment to the college have positioned it to emerge stronger and pursue even greater excellence in the years ahead.”

During her first term, Atekwana led the development and launch of Greater Together for the Greater Good, a comprehensive strategic plan for the largest and most complex college at UC Davis. Encompassing 37 departments and programs, the plan provides a shared framework for advancing faculty excellence, student success, fundraising, community building and tactical investments across the college.

A central focus of Atekwana’s leadership is equitable student success. During her tenure, the college recorded meaningful gains in graduation and retention rates while expanding academic advising, career preparation and experiential learning opportunities. The college also increased its investment in graduate student support, further strengthening the educational experience across disciplines.

Atekwana has advanced faculty excellence by recruiting more than 100 faculty members across all ranks, establishing a comprehensive mentoring program for early-career faculty and investing in faculty retention and research. L&S Unites, the college’s signature multidisciplinary research initiative, brings together scholars in the arts, humanities, social sciences and mathematical and physical sciences to address pressing societal challenges through research and creative activity, demonstrating the extraordinary breadth and power of scholarship across the college.

“UC Davis is an extraordinary institution, and I am deeply honored to be reappointed as dean of the College of Letters and Science,” Atekwana said. “I extend my sincere gratitude to the review committee, Chancellor May, Provost Croughan and my fellow deans for their confidence, partnership and support. I am especially grateful to my dean’s office leadership team and colleagues, whose dedication and counsel make our shared accomplishments possible, and to our students, faculty and staff, who inspire our work every day. Together, we have accomplished much, and I look forward to building on that momentum to advance student success, champion faculty and staff excellence and strengthen the college’s impact on our university, our communities and the world.”

During her tenure, Atekwana has expanded the College of Letters and Science’s interdisciplinary research partnerships across UC Davis. Under her leadership, the college helped launch the Institute for Psychedelics and Neurotherapeutics, the Center for Artificial Intelligence and Experimental Futures and the Maria Manetti Shrem Institute for Sustainable Design, Fashion and Textiles. The college also revitalized the Davis Humanities Institute and strengthened other centers and institutes, creating new opportunities for collaborative research, teaching and public engagement across UC Davis and beyond.

Atekwana has strengthened connections beyond the college through digital communications, including Letters and Science Magazine and the Minds Over Matters podcast. These channels have extended the reach of faculty scholarship and creative work to broader audiences. In 2025, the magazine received two CASE Circle of Excellence awards, recognizing its exceptional quality and creativity.

As a dedicated and passionate advocate for the College of Letters and Science, Atekwana has raised its profile and promoted the value of its teaching, research and service within UC Davis and among external audiences. Since 2021, the college has raised more than $74 million in private support, including a gift of more than $20 million from Maria Manetti Shrem — the largest gift in the college’s history. The gift establishes three endowed chairs and supports the Maria Manetti Shrem Institute and other arts initiatives known affectionately as the Arts Renaissance. 

“Estella is an exceptional leader whose vision, integrity and dedication have made a lasting difference at UC Davis and beyond,” Croughan said. “I am immensely grateful for Estella’s commitment and the care that she brings to serving UC Davis and supporting our faculty, staff and students. She has substantially advanced excellence across teaching, research, service and outreach. Her leadership has strengthened the college’s academic mission, fostered a greater sense of shared purpose and created new opportunities for scholarship and student achievement. I look forward to all that she and the college will achieve through her continued vision and leadership.”