Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson Recognizes UC Davis MBA Fellows

Students Put Management Expertise to Work Developing Policy Initiatives for the
City
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson today recognized four UC Davis MBA students who
are putting their management talent to work to develop special mayoral projects
and policy initiatives in the areas of economic development, housing, education
and the arts.

The students, Tre Borden, Rani Chu, Jacqueline Jaszka and Courtney Sweetin, are
the first four UC Davis MBA Mayoral Fellows selected to participate in a new
partnership between the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and the City of
Sacramento. The program provides an opportunity for aspiring public servants to
gain valuable first-hand experience in civic government and policy.

For 12 weeks this winter and spring, the fellows have been meeting with various
community groups and leaders as they work to help Johnson realize his vision of
"a city that works for everyone."

"I`m excited about this program and the partnerships we are forging with the UC
Davis Graduate School of Management," Johnson said. "These UC Davis MBA students
are contributing their skills and energy to our efforts. In exchange, they gain
invaluable insights and exposure into how city government works."

The Mayoral Fellows Program is patterned after the White House Fellows Program
in Washington, D.C. The UC Davis MBA fellows each receive a $2,000 stipend from
the management school.

"The Mayoral Fellowship contributes significantly to my UC Davis MBA
experience," said first-year student Rani Chu. "I'm gaining work experience in
my areas of interest, and have networking opportunities with well-established
community leaders."

Chu is tackling two projects: "For Art`s Sake," a unified approach to support
the city`s arts community; and a renewed effort to revitalize K Street and the
commercial heart of downtown Sacramento. Her fellow students are deeply involved
in plans to address homelessness, green energy and education.

Courtney Sweetin, who was a public school teacher before pursuing her MBA, has
been designing and planning collaborations between parents and schools to
improve student performance.

"Mayor Johnson`s enthusiasm for the future of Sacramento is contagious and I
find myself coming to City Hall excited to work each day," Sweetin said. "I have
the autonomy to try new things and design my own experience here. It is the
ultimate learning environment."

Steven C. Currall, dean of the management school, said the Mayoral Fellows
Program represents an exciting new opportunity for UC Davis MBAs to apply their
knowledge and experience.

"Our students are assisting the Mayor`s Office in developing solutions to the
challenging, and often complex, issues facing Sacramento, and to directly
contribute to our region`s long-term growth and prosperity," Currall said. "At
the same time, they are refining their own management skills and acquiring a
hands-on understanding of how business and government intersect.

"Going forward, partnerships such as these will define economic development and
underpin solutions for some of our most pressing issues such as the environment,
healthcare and energy efficiency," Currall added. "We look forward to future
collaborations between the city and the university."

About the UC Davis Graduate School of Management

Established in 1981, the UC Davis Graduate School of Management has enjoyed
growing national and international prominence. The UC Davis MBA program has been
ranked among the nation`s top 50 by U.S. News & World Report for the past 14
years, and among the best in the world by The Financial Times and the Economist.
The School has 120 students enrolled in a Daytime MBA program at Gallagher Hall
at the UC Davis campus and more than 450 Working Professional students at
campuses in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area. Three Centers of
Excellence are devoted to internationally renowned research and activities that
have a powerful impact on the business world and enrich the curriculum with
hands-on learning opportunities for students: UC Davis Center for Investor
Welfare and Corporate Responsibility, the UC Davis MBA Consulting Center and the
UC Davis Center for Entrepreneurship.

www.gsm.ucdavis.edu

Graduate School of Management
Tim Akin, 530-752-7362
tmakin@ucdavis.edu
or
UC Davis News Service
Jim Sweeney, 530-752-6101
jpsweeney@ucdavis.edu
or
City of Sacramento
Joaquin McPeek, 916-808-5300
JMcPeek@cityofsacramento.org

Copyright Business Wire 2010