UC Davis is expanding its efforts to support students enrolled in Summer Sessions, which have seen a 7.5% increase in enrollment compared to last year, reaching more than 15,549 students at the start of Summer Session II. The university aims to help students stay on track for graduation, explore new interests, and build community during the summer months.
Many students attending Summer Sessions may not be familiar with campus resources or may lack their usual social circles, particularly incoming and international students. In response, a team of three staff members is working to improve access to campus resources and organize social activities that foster connections among participants.
Among the most popular events are those that encourage interaction, such as “speed friending,” trivia nights, and game nights. Danniele Baila, program and policy analyst for Summer Sessions, said: “We’re hitting it out of the park with that. It pushed what it meant to create community on campus.”
Students like Teresa Huancas Flores and Kaili Geritz have found these activities helpful for meeting new people and getting involved on campus. Geritz said she has become more social by participating in these events while taking psychology, economics, and human rights courses over the summer. Huancas Flores added: “It’s been helping me get out of the house… It helps me socialize.”
Summer Sessions increased its special events from 21 last year to 25 this year, introducing unique offerings such as yoga classes, outings at the Bohart Museum of Entomology’s Moth Night, museum tours, snack stops, and an exploration of the Arboretum.
Omega Lee became executive director of Summer Sessions in 2023 after serving as deputy director of the Online MBA program and veterans services coordinator at UC Davis. She emphasized: “Students are looking for community. We want to give them that sense of belonging.”
To address budget constraints while maintaining programming quality, Lee explained that Summer Sessions reduced reliance on food-centered events and instead partnered with other campus units or incorporated existing activities like Moth Night.
The university has also expanded its online offerings for summer students—nearly doubling available online courses since last year to 61 options plus an additional 30 hybrid courses—with further growth planned.
Efforts are being made to ensure all summer students know about available resources such as Counseling Services and the Activities and Recreation Center. Initiatives include hosting a resource fair for the first time this year along with an annual financial aid webinar in April; information is also shared through the Summer Sessions website and social media.
A new addition this year is the Summer Scholars Writing Academy—a collaboration between Summer Sessions and the Writing Center—which provides free non-credit classes focused on creative and academic writing skills development. Katie Taylor, a re-entry student balancing coursework with family responsibilities, participated in these sessions: “I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much fun it is… It’s giving us ways to think out of the box and get ideas on paper.” She noted that many students remain unaware of all available resources.
Summer Sessions continues working toward making support systems visible so every student can benefit from both academic opportunities and a sense of connection during their studies.
