2026 Alumni Awards of Distinction
Meet the exemplary UCR alumni who were honored at this year’s awards celebration in April
S ince 1986, the UCR Alumni Association has honored graduates who personify the university’s tradition of excellence and service. Through their personal and professional achievements, these individuals bring distinction to UCR, contribute to the betterment of society, and enhance their communities.
This year, awardees were honored at the Alumni Awards of Distinction dinner held at The Mission Inn on April 11. The presence and support of our alumni allowed the UCR Alumni Association to contribute an additional $14,000 to the UCR Alumni Scholarship Program, which has awarded more than 1,700 scholarships to date, totaling over $4.1 million towards student success.
Here are this year’s honorees:
Susan DeWitt ’83
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD
The most prestigious honor bestowed by the UCR Alumni Association, the Distinguished Alumni Award is based on national and international distinction in one’s field and significant contribution to humankind.
The Honorable Susan J. DeWitt serves on the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Criminal Division, at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center. Appointed in 2018, Judge DeWitt brings more than three decades of distinguished legal service spanning federal prosecution, national security, civil rights, and judicial leadership.
Prior to her appointment, DeWitt served for two decades as an Assistant United States Attorney in Los Angeles. Her work encompassed some of the nation’s most complex and high-profile cases, including terrorism, organized crime, and human trafficking prosecutions. DeWitt’s contributions have been recognized with numerous honors and multiple commendations from the U.S. Attorney General, FBI, and Department of Justice.
A committed advocate for diversity and inclusion in the judiciary, DeWitt is treasurer of the LGBTQ+ Judicial Officers of California and an active member of the California Judges Association, the National Association of Women Judges, and the International Association of LGBT Judges.
DeWitt earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and dual bachelor’s degrees in administrative studies and economics from UC Riverside.
Gerald Daniels ’08, M.A. ’10, Ph.D. ’13
OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD
This award recognizes alumni aged 40 or younger with a significant record of career and/or civic achievement and promise in their profession.
Gerald E. Daniels Jr. is an associate professor of economics at Howard University. His research examines how student loan balances influence wealth accumulation, financial well-being, and racial wealth gaps. He also studies the economic behaviors of students and disparities in food insecurity across communities. His work has been supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and his research has been published in leading economics journals.
Daniels serves on the executive boards of the National Economic Association and the Riverside-based nonprofit SBX Youth & Family Services. He is also a member of J-PAL’s Racial Equity Advisory Committee. His previous leadership roles include serving as a co-director of the American Economic Association’s Summer Training Program, a prestigious program that prepares students from underrepresented backgrounds for doctoral studies in economics, and as the associate director of undergraduate studies in Howard University’s Department of Economics.
Daniels earned a bachelor’s degree in business economics and master’s and doctoral degrees in economics from UC Riverside.
Angel Rodriguez ’08, M.Ed. ’21
ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD
This award honors superior service in the public sector, or a sustained pattern of volunteer service in the community, arts, or for the benefit of UCR, that has positively represented the university and fellow citizens.
Angel Rodriguez serves as associate vice chancellor of government relations, strategic communications, and grants at the San Bernardino Community College District, where he has helped secure more than $470 million to expand educational access and workforce opportunities for over 30,000 students at Crafton Hills College and San Bernardino Valley College.
In 2021, Rodriguez was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to the California Student Aid Commission, the state agency that administers more than $3.9 billion in financial aid and serves over 2.2 million students annually. As chair of the Student Impact, Communications, and Outreach Committee, he mobilized Inland Empire education leaders, legislators, and news media to launch a “Cash For College” campaign that helped families across Southern California access financial aid for college and career training. He is also a founding board member of the Civil Rights Institute of Inland Southern California and a co-founder of the CIELO Fund at the Inland Empire Community Foundation.
Rodriguez earned a bachelor’s degree in public service and political science and a master’s degree in higher education administration and policy from UC Riverside.
Read more about this year’s Alumni Award winners at alumni.ucr.edu/alumni-awards.