UC Davis Commons Earns Award for Innovation in Higher Education
Award Recognizes FOA Communications Efforts to Connect Campus Partners with Internal Talent Marketplace
The FOA Communications team has received a 2026 Circle of Excellence Award from the Council of Advance and Support of Education, or CASE. These prestigious awards honor outstanding work in educational advancement, communications and marketing in higher education around the world.
This award recognizes the creation of the UC Davis Commons, an internal marketplace designed to keep more work within the university and retain institutional expertise during a time of budget challenges.
Judges hailed the UC Davis Commons as a “thoughtful approach that not only addressed a budget crisis but preserved internal talent in the process.” They suggested it’s an idea that other institutions could also adopt.
“What makes this recognition especially meaningful is that the judges saw the same value we hoped the Commons would deliver,” said BreAnda Northcutt, executive director of FOA Communications. “We already have incredible talent across UC Davis. The Commons simply makes it easier for departments to find that expertise, connect with colleagues and solve problems together.”
Making it easier to collaborate across campus
The UC Davis Commons website was launched by the FOA Communications team in 2025 as UC Davis units worked to meet 10% budget reduction goals. Northcutt recognized that campus departments continued to seek short-term communications support from external vendors, despite the expertise already available at UC Davis. Rather than simply promoting her team’s services, she responded by creating a shared internal marketplace where campus service providers could showcase their services. The providers manage their own pricing models and client relationships, while benefiting from a shared platform that makes campus expertise easier to find.
The Commons now features services from a dozen campus units spanning communications, event planning, data science, manufacturing, technology, strategy and more. Providers include teams from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Engineering, College of Letters and Science, IET and several FOA units, including FOA Communications, Conference and Event Services, Repro Graphics, and the Office of Business Transformation.
“The Commons has been a valuable way for our team to say ‘yes’ to projects that would otherwise fall outside our regular scope of work,” said Molly Bechtel, who leads the College of Engineering’s marketing and communications team. “It's a win for both those who need additional support and for communications teams working to balance strategic priorities with limited resources.”
More awards
This bronze award is one of 10 Circle of Excellence awards given to UC Davis teams this year, and one of 28 such awards presented to teams throughout the UC system.
Northcutt’s leadership in creating the Commons was also highlighted internally with an honorable mention, after her team nominated her for a 2026 Citation of Excellence for Innovation from UC Davis Staff Assembly.
The FOA Communications team has received multiple awards for their work, including two Circle of Excellence gold awards and regional awards for campaigns, videos and illustrations.
The Commons continues to grow, with additional campus providers joining the marketplace and expanding the range of services available to UC Davis departments. Explore the UC Davis Commons to consider adding your team or finding a service.