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California Supreme Court Associate Justice Kelli M. Evans will be the first guest speaker at the commencements of the University of California, Davis, as its School of Law leads off the spring graduation season Friday.

Other guest speakers named to date are Diana E. Ramos, California’s surgeon general, at the School of Medicine commencement Saturday; and Sundeep Dugar, a leader in the pharmaceutical industry, at the two Graduate Studies ceremonies June 12.

The season of 13 commencements includes the eight Graduate Studies and professional school ceremonies, on the Davis campus through mid-June, and concludes with five undergraduate ceremonies at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento June 13-15.

Friday, May 16 — Kelli M. Evans, who graduated from the UC Davis School of Law in 1994, has devoted her career to public service. Before joining the Supreme Court in 2023, she served as an Alameda County Superior Court judge, chief deputy legal affairs secretary for California Gov. Gavin Newsom and special assistant to the attorney general at the California Department of Justice. She also worked for the State Bar of California, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Sacramento County Public Defender’s Office.

Evans serves on the California Access to Justice Commission and has received numerous honors, including being named the law school’s distinguished alumna in 2023.

Saturday, May 17 — Dr. Diana E. Ramos, California’s first Latina surgeon general, is a nationally recognized leader in public health and a dedicated advocate for health equity. With a focus on adverse childhood experiences, mental health and maternal health, she brings clinical insight and policy expertise to her role as the state’s top public health spokesperson.

A board-certified OB-GYN, Ramos has provided care for over 30 years at Kaiser Permanente in Southern California. She previously served as assistant deputy director of chronic disease prevention at the California Department of Public Health and held leadership roles with the American Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½ of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the American Medical Association Foundation (AMAF) and the National Hispanic Medical Association.

Ramos earned her medical degree from the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, where she now serves as an adjunct associate professor. She completed her residency at Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, and also holds a Master of Public Health from UCLA and an MBA from UC Irvine.

She received the 2024 Latino Spirit Award for Public Service and the 2025 Public Health Leadership Award from All Children Thrive.

Thursday, June 12 — Sundeep Dugar, who earned a doctoral degree in chemistry from UC Davis in 1984, has founded and grown several drug discovery and development companies that have provided advanced therapeutics for patients. His decades of experience spans oncology, central nervous system, cardiovascular, inflammation, pain, and neurodegenerative and infectious diseases at major pharmaceutical companies and in biotech. He is president and CEO of Aayam Therapeutics; co-CEO at Blue Oak Nutraceuticals; and founder and chief scientific officer of Pacegenix Inc. 

Dugar is a member of the Graduate Studies Advisory Board and founding president of the .

Commencement calendar

Following is a complete list of commencement dates, times and locations:

• May 16 — School of Law, 11 a.m., Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts
• May 17 — School of Medicine, 10 a.m., Mondavi Center
• May 23 — School of Veterinary Medicine, 3:30 p.m., Mondavi Center
• June 11 — School of Education, 4 p.m., Mondavi Center
• June 12 — Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, 10 a.m., Mondavi Center
• June 12 — Graduate Studies, for master's students, 10 a.m., University Credit Union Center
• June 12 — Graduate Studies, for Master of Fine Arts and doctoral students, 3 p.m., University Credit Union Center
• June 13 — Graduate School of Management, 10 a.m., University Credit Union Center
• June 13 — Two undergraduate ceremonies, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Golden 1 Center
• June 14 — Two undergraduate ceremonies, 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., Golden 1 Center
• June 15 — Undergraduate ceremony, 9 a.m., Golden 1 Center

More about commencement

Ten identity, cultural and affinity celebrations will be held May 22 through June 14. More information on these events and commencements, including ticket requirements for most ceremonies, is available on the commencement website. Information about commencement livestreams will be available online.

In 2023-24, UC Davis conferred a total of 11,309 degrees: 8,805 bachelor’s, 836 professional, 1,019 master’s and 649 doctoral degrees.