Students who spent a day with deans, vice chancellors and others last quarter as part of the UC Davis Leadership Job Shadow Program said they came away with a deeper understanding of what is required to keep the university running, as well as surprises that apply to their broader careers.

“Shadowing with Rocko has demonstrated to me what comprehensive and effective leadership looks like across multiple divisions of the athletics department at UC Davis and has strengthened my confidence in pursuing my secondary career interest in sports communications,” said Alan Zheng, an undergraduate majoring in political science who spent a day with Athletics Director Rocko DeLuca.

Apply for the Program

Applications are open now through April 6, closing at 11:59 p.m.

In the program, students accompany the university leaders to meetings, spend one-on-one time with them and can have discussions ranging from how their jobs work to individualized career advice.

Here’s what some other students said about the program:

What’s one lesson you learned from this experience? 

Zach Dollins

Undergraduate political science major 
Shadowed Tom Smith, dean of the School of Education 

“Great leaders recruit the best talent they can find and choose to more frequently listen than speak.”

What was a surprising part of your shadow day?   

Emma San

Undergraduate business major 
Shadowed Rocko DeLuca, athletics director 

“Throughout the day, it became clear that his role involves balancing many different responsibilities, from supporting student-athletes to handling administrative tasks and coordinating with other staff members. I didn’t realize how much communication and problem-solving goes into the job on a daily basis. Seeing how he managed all of these responsibilities while still staying focused and organized was really interesting and gave me a better understanding of what leadership in that role looks like.”

What advice do you have for future student shadows? 

Nishka Baliga

Undergraduate economics and statistics major 
Shadowed Mary Croughan, provost and executive vice chancellor

“I would definitely include as many details as possible about yourself when you are applying, because you might be surprised how much can be arranged for you to explore things related to your interests when shadowing. I didn't expect actuarial science to be related to my Job Shadow day but the Provost arranged for that to happen, as well as it happened to be Lunar New Year so that we could talk about my experience learning Mandarin Chinese.”

Zice Sun

Undergraduate statistics major 
Shadowed Dana Topousis, chief marketing and communications officer 

“It's OK to be a vulnerable listener, always prepare for ‘human’ moments, not just data, and don't be afraid to share the real challenges of student life. Instead of viewing this program as a passive observation, treat it as an active dialogue that bridges the gap between your student life and executive reality.”