UC Davis bids farewell to a distinguished group of faculty and staff who have dedicated decades of service to the university and have left lasting impacts on their departments and the campus community. Congratulations to all, and thank you for your service to UC Davis.

Gang Sun

Gang Sun, professor in Biological and Agricultural Engineering, is retiring after 30 years of service at UC Davis. He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Fiber and Material Engineering from Donghua University in China, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Auburn University.

“This was a rare career opportunity for me,” Sun said. “It provided me the opportunity to grow from somewhere and become kind of a renowned researcher and scientist in the field.”

Over the years, Sun’s research has included fiber and textile research using advanced polymer chemistry and development of personal protective clothing materials and personal use sensors for biological and chemical hazards. He credits his students and collaborators for his success at UC Davis. 

“I learned a lot, and not just because of myself, actually because of my students, my post doc researchers, and also my undergraduate student assistants working in my labs,” Sun said. “Without them, I would not be able to make anything.”

Ernie Hoftyzer

Ernie Hoftyzer began his UC Davis career as a temporary staff member in the History Department, which happened to be his major at UC Davis. When the university transitioned to the DAFIS online accounting system in 1997, Hoftyzer’s career accelerated. He eventually became Chief Administrative Officer of the Institute of Transportation Studies in 2004, leading that unit for 13 years as its annual budget grew from $3 million to $20 million. In 2017, he moved to a similar position at the UC Davis Genome Center. 

“I liked working in academic departments,” Hoftyzer said. “That is where the university’s action is.”

Most recently, he is finishing his career before transitioning to the Dean’s Office at the College of Biological Sciences. 

“I like what we do at UC Davis,” Hoftyzer said. “We were able to grow.”

In 2016, Hoftyzer swam across the English Channel, the final race necessary to complete the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming, which also includes swimming the 20-mile Catalina Channel and the 28-mile circumnavigation of Manhattan Island. 

“I couldn’t have done that without the support of my UC Davis colleagues. As a proud alum and proud employee, I was happy to carry the UC Davis flag with me.”

Hoftyzer said that one of the best parts about working for the university were the opportunities provided and the good work-life balance. As he looks toward retirement, he encourages others to make the most of their time at the university.

“It goes by fast,” Hoftyzer said. “So enjoy it.”

Milmon Harrison

Milmon Harrison is the associate vice provost for Academic Programs in Undergraduate Education. He is also an associate professor in the African American and African Studies Department, where he has taught for 25 years. 

Harrison’s academic journey began with a simple goal: to earn a bachelor’s degree and secure a stable civil service job. But the encouragement of a professor changed his path, eventually leading him to UC Davis as a faculty member.

“I learned a lot of things that I didn't know going into my career as an academic,” Harrison said. “I'm still learning things because I don't come from this type of background.”

Throughout his career, Harrison remained committed to supporting and uplifting students, just as he had once been supported.

“I hope that my legacy will be that I touched the lives of people,” he said. “That people will remember me and think about how I may have said something or done something that inspired them or encouraged them.”

Looking ahead, he is most looking forward to reclaiming time for creative pursuits and improving his physical health, which he had to set aside during his busy career.

“I started learning photography some years ago and I have not had time for it the way that I want to do it,” he said. “I'm looking forward to just having space in my life for creativity and to learn new things in that respect.”

Mike Sheehan

Mike Sheehan, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Housing and Dining Services at UC Davis, is retiring after 33 years of service. Mike started working at UC Davis in 1989 and says that he has stayed so long because, “Historically, the values of UC Davis have been in sync with my own, so that made it super easy to want to stay here.” 

About his department, he says, “Our whole mission is to help our students succeed and be better prepared when they go into the workforce. Our staff are our first customers, so we need to make sure our staff are in a position to be part of that progression for our students. We have staff who have been with us for many years, and that is a testament to the environment and workplace culture. We do our best to try to give staff new opportunities when we can.”

Many more distinguished careers

Among the many other staff and faculty that are retiring include:

• Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of the Arboretum and Public Garden Kathleen Socolofsky

• Assistant Director of the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden Andrew Fulks

• Graduate School of Management Professor David Woodruff

• WorkLife Manager Sandy Batchelor

• Graduate School of Management Professor Hollis Skaife

• Academic and Staff Assistance Program Director Carol Kirshnit

• Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance, Operations and Administration Blair Stephenson 

• Transportation Services Executive Director Perry Eggleston