An international buffet and balloons of all colors in Freeborn Hall can mean only one thing: Soaring to New Heights, the Davis campus’s annual celebration of diversity and the Principles of Community.

The 19th annual Soaring to New Heights took place on April 14, drawing a sold-out crowd. “This is the hottest ticket in town,” said Associate Executive Vice Chancellor Rahim Reed, who heads the Office of Campus Community Relations.

They came to recognize 22 employees nominated by their colleagues and selected to receive Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards.

The celebration also included presentation of the Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award and Disability Awareness Week Awards.

The Diversity and Principles of Community Achievement Awards went to four individuals and one team.

Ken Barnes, coordinator, Internship and Career Center — For coordinating a staff committee to address diversity issues among employees and among the students who are served by the center. Also, he developed a diversity Web page for the center and the campus at large, devoting many hours of his own time to this project.

Pamela Burnett, director, Undergraduate Admissions — Described as an administrator who, when formulating decisions, is “always sensitive” to their impacts on underrepresented and underserved students. Further, she is diligent in making sure that the work of Undergraduate Admissions is constantly refined, resulting in the very best possible outcome for a diverse body of admitted students.

• Deanna Falge Award: Phyllis Thomas, executive assistant, Office of Campus Community Relations — She has been a member of the African American Faculty and Staff Association for 12 years, serving as chair from 2002 to 2006 and co-vice chair from 2006 to 2008, as well as treasurer and secretary. She endeavors to advance awareness of diversity in both her professional roles and also as someone who models the Principles of Community in her daily interactions.

• Special Citation: Bruce Haynes, professor, sociology — He has an ongoing commitment to promoting and increasing faculty diversity and building a more inclusive campus community. He has served in numerous roles, including the President’s Task Force on Diversity Summit and the UC Davis Task Force on Faculty Diversity. He serves as a member of the Campus Council on Community and Diversity.

The team award went to the International Education Week Planning Committee for its work since 2002 in raising awareness of UC Davis’ international education opportunities, on campus and off.

More than 1,000 students attended the student fair that was held as part of this year’s International Education Week. The students browsed information tables representing more than 80 campus departments and clubs with international components.

The committee members, by department:

• Parvin Damania, Jean-Xavier Guinard and Jennifer Wong, University Outreach and International Programs

• Marie Manlapaz, Services for International Students and Scholars

• Deanna Gordon, Marcie Kirk-Holland, Lanette Olsen and Nancy Tibbitts, Internship and Career Center

• Christina Siracusa, Hemispheric Institute on the Americas

• Erica Chernoh, Peace Corps

• Jake Hosier, Education Abroad Center

• Greg Gundersen, Student Housing

• Monisha Newbon, ASUCD

• Paul Cody, Student Programs and Activities Center

• Sasha Ferreira, Hubert H. Humphreys Fellowship Program

• Vickie Gomez, Office of Campus Community Relations

• Tina Castillo and Holly Snyder Thompson, UC Davis Extension

• Deborah Zavala, International House

Handy leadership award

Retired Police Chief Calvin Handy presented his namesake award to police Lt. Matthew Carmichael, honoring him for his leadership in developing and presenting the campus’s active shooter training — to prepare students, staff and faculty for dealing with shooting incidents.