Professor Cooper to receive Academic Federation Distinguished Service Award

The UC Davis Academic Federation will honor Professor Holly S. Cooper ’98 with its 2019 Distinguished Service Award.

The award recognizes meritorious contributions through service of Academic Federation members. Cooper, who co-directs the Immigration Law Clinic, was nominated by Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Diversity and Professor of Law Raquel E. Aldana.

“For a career that spans two decades, Holly has become one of the leading advocates on behalf of immigration detainees and unaccompanied minors in detention,” Aldana wrote in her nomination letter. “Her significant contributions have not only changed laws and practices but literally the lives of thousands of vulnerable adults and children in immigration detention.

“Her advocacy is fierce, brilliant, unrelenting, and powerful,” Aldana continued. “Over the years, Holly has inspired hundreds of law students to dedicate their careers to the most vulnerable in society.”

Cooper will receive the award at a May 8 ceremony where other Academic Federation and Academic Senate award recipients also will be recognized.

Professor Holly Cooper ’98, co-director of the Immigration Law Clinic, has extensive litigation experience defending the rights of immigrants and is a nationally recognized expert of immigration detention issue and on the immigration consequences of criminal convictions.