Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Sometimes, the most powerful way to make big change is to plant a seed.
That is exactly what UC Davis alumnus Daniel Evans has done.
His work has taken him to Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia.
It was Evan's first stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic that sparked
his desire for an academic opportunity to learn more about international development,
which led him to UC Davis.
Coming back from the U.S. as a return Peace Corps volunteer and finding myself in an international
agriculture development Masters Program was pretty amazing because remember it's a multidisciplinary
program that brings people in from ag econ, from traditional agriculture, from sociology,
nutrition, natural resource management kind of stuff.
So just sitting in those classes and hearing the richness of discussion and the amazing
experience of my fellow students and the professor was pretty amazing.
Evans worked in various locations including the Charles Darwin Research Station in the
Galapagos Islands, the USAID office in Kenya and Mexico, and currently serves as the Peace
Corps Country Director for Mexico, Madagascar and Guinea.
By giving communities around the world knowledge on how to better manage resources, Evans has
created food security, prevented civil strife, and has brought economic stability to the
developing world.
When I was with the U.S. Agency for International Development in Kenya. I was working with the
pastoral livelihood groups in the greater horn of Africa
and this was a group that had been torn by strife because of violence fighting between
each other, people going in and stealing their cattles, and so it was basically becoming
a war zone.
Evans was able to quell the war zone by teaching these tribes basic conflict resolution. Thanks
to Evans' efforts, the tribes were able to put an end to the deaths and shooting, and
once tensions were eased, the famine and malnutrition in the region was alleviated.
So just by starting with some basic conflict resolution with the community elders and getting
the elders talking to each other and different communities to resolve their problems without
shooting,
we held out the benefit of also giving them veterinary services as well, and with the
veterinary services they were able to control, render pests and some of the other issues
affecting their cattle
and then continue marketing internationally which opened up opportunities that were the
long-term livelihood of that whole culture.
It was at UC Davis that Evans learned the importance of taking a multi-faceted and collaborative
approach to complex problems.
He also gained the academic and hands-on experience he needed for the next phase in his life.
UC Davis prepared me for my career and many many ways.
They let me do my masters thesis in Eastern Africa in some little islands called Comoro
islands.
And then through Davis I was also able to get a Fulbright scholarship for my dissertation
research and went to Ecuador.
So those two field experiences allowed me to basically combine the academic excellence
of Davis and all the different things going on here but with the real practical application
for both the Masters and the Ph.D.
Through all the countries he has traveled, Evans—who has seven Aggies in his family—carries
a bit of his Aggie Pride with him.
Normally I wear my UC Davis cap with pride overseas,
snd I always have the opportunity to talk to my Peace Corps volunteers whatever country
I'm in of the opportunities at UC Davis and the importance of continuing their international
work and the great international opportunities that are available here at Davis.
Evans credits his success to the community that supported him along the way.
Being chosen for this award is much recognition for me, as certain my family and how they've
supported me in sounds many ways.
But also my friends and colleagues whom I've worked with who made all the different things
I've done and all the people I've worked with possible.