A Lasting Legacy: Advising Room Named for DePeters
For generations of students in the Animal Science Department in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis, conversations about choosing a major, navigating college life, and deciding on a career path often began with Ed DePeters.
DePeters, a distinguished Professor Emeritus of Animal Science who was appointed in 1979 and retired in 2022, is an internationally known dairy nutritionist. His research primarily focused on animal nutrition, specifically how dietary protein affects milk protein synthesis by cows, how diet alters the fatty acid composition of milk fat, and the use of by-products as feeds for dairy cattle.
And whether he was helping a first-generation student navigate college, or mentoring future dairy scientists, or simply making time for a conversation with a colleague, DePeters built a devoted following. Through these efforts, he cemented a reputation not just as a respected researcher, but as one of the department’s most devoted student advocates.
On May 27th, DePeters was recognized for his decades of work as well as the values he embodied throughout his career: mentorship, accessibility, generosity and an unwavering commitment to student success. His colleagues, former students, friends and family gathered for a special ceremony outside Meyer Hall to celebrate the legacy of DePeters with the dedication of the “Ed DePeters Student Advising Center” in Meyer Hall.
“This recognition extends far beyond your accomplishments in classrooms, laboratories or publications,” said Department Chair Frank Mitloehner during the ceremony. “It honors a person who shaped generations of students through mentorship, guidance, compassion and unwavering belief in their potential.”
Mitloehner reflected on arriving at UC Davis nearly 25 years ago already familiar with DePeters’ scientific reputation. What stood out most, he said, was his extraordinary dedication to students.
“He knew students personally,” Mitloehner said. “He’s the guy who walked the Arboretum with long lists of student names and memorized those names. When he taught in the classroom, he knew his students by name.”
Over more than four decades at UC Davis, DePeters became synonymous with student advising in Animal Science. He served as lead faculty advisor for roughly 14 years and helped guide the department through tremendous growth, including the expansion of the undergraduate major from about 700 students in 2008 to more than 1,400 by the time he retired.
But speakers throughout the event emphasized that his impact could not be measured solely in numbers.
“Thousands of students have benefited from his wisdom, his kindness, patience and encouragement,” Mitloehner said. “Many still remember conversations they had with him years ago — conversations that helped them choose their path, overcome uncertainty or simply believe in themselves.”
Colleagues also fondly remembered DePeters giving out “I heart milk” buttons for students in his dairy science courses--which they proudly wore around campus.
Lisa Nash Holmes who worked alongside DePeters for years as a teaching assistant, laboratory colleague and advising partner, described him as one of the most influential mentors in her career. She also recalled DePeters’ enthusiasm for experiential learning and his ability to make students feel welcomed and supported. Even in retirement, she noted, he still attends student-run events, including Picnic Day and UC Davis Young Cattlemen Association activities. She also highlighted the many honors DePeters earned during his career, including the UC Davis Prize for Undergraduate Teaching and Scholarly Achievement, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Award of Distinction and numerous advising and teaching awards.
“All parents, when they send their kids off to college want them to encounter an Ed DePeters in their academic careers,” said Nash Holmes.
Visiting guest, Professor Appolinaire Djikeng, director general of the International Livestock Research Institute in Kenya, spoke about the universal importance of advising and mentorship.
“Often people, in these institutions, are not from California, and from other countries,” Djikeng said. “When you go to a foreign country, you want to belong, you want somebody who can say it's okay, you belong here, you're welcome, and you've done that to many, many, many people.”
Djikeng noted that institutions are ultimately defined by their people, and DePeters’ impact extended far beyond research and leadership.
“The personal touch, the human connection that you've brought to people, will last many, many generations,” said Djikeng. “People will often forget what you've said, what you've done, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. And you made them feel really well.”
When DePeters stepped up to offer a few words to the growing crowd in the Meyer Hall breezeway, he admitted he was feeling nervous, but also incredibly thankful for the recognition from his friends and former colleagues.
“I did what I did during my career because I loved what I did,” he said. “I had a blast the whole time I was here.”
DePeters redirected much of the praise towards others —crediting both his ‘personal family’ and his ‘academic family’ for supporting him throughout his career and helping him to create a culture of support.
“I did not do what I did by myself,” he said. “We had the best staff anywhere.”
He also reflected on the department’s long-standing commitment to faculty advising and the collaborative effort behind building formal internship opportunities that connected students with hands-on learning experiences in animal facilities.
“My philosophy was: We have the best faculty and the best staff,” DePeters said. “Why not use that expertise and knowledge to support our students?”
As the ceremony concluded and attendees gathered inside Meyer Hall for the unveiling of the newly renamed advising center, the symbolism of the moment felt especially fitting. For decades, colleagues said, DePeters helped open doors for students — guiding them through uncertainty, encouraging them to pursue opportunities and helping them see futures they may not have imagined for themselves.
“He treated advising not as an obligation, but as a calling,” said Mitloehner. “When students doubted themselves, he opened doors for them.”
And now, future generations of Animal Science students seeking advice and direction will walk through the door with his name proudly displayed above it.
“In many ways, this is exactly the right place to honor you,” said Mitloehner. “Not a lecture hall. Not a conference room. Not a laboratory. But the Student Advising Center — the very heart of student support and guidance within our department.”