Douglas M. Haynes ’85 says receiving the Blaisdell Distinguished Alumni Award is a recognition that his personal choices and professional contributions are aligned with Pomona College’s values.
Meeting civil rights leader Coretta Scott King after her 1984 Commencement address at Pomona was a transformative experience for Haynes, who has dedicated his career to building inclusive and equitable educational environments for all students.
As UC Irvine’s first vice provost for academic equity, diversity and inclusion, Haynes was pivotal in establishing the university’s commitment to faculty diversity and gender equality. (Photo by Steve Zylius/UCI)
Four decades ago, among the trees of Marston Quad, Douglas M. Haynes ’85 found inspiration in a chance meeting with civil rights leader Coretta Scott King.
Then a history major at Pomona, Haynes had just listened to King’s compelling 1984 Commencement address during his friends’ graduation ceremony. But it was his brief encounter with the widow of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that helped Haynes understand how the College — and its values— served as a force for public good. As an African American, he says, her insights resonated deeply with him.
Now a historian, leader and advocate for organizational change and innovation in higher education, Haynes has dedicated his career to building inclusive and equitable environments of excellence for all students.
“Doug not only internalized but also transformed the charge to Pomona graduates — to bear their added riches — into a remarkable career of service in public higher education,” says April Mayes ’94, associate dean of the College and the Warren Finney Day Professor of History.
Haynes is being honored this year for his exemplary contributions and leadership in education with the Blaisdell Distinguished Alumni Award. This award, presented by the Alumni Association Board, recognizes alumni who carry the spirit of the College beyond the Gates and demonstrate exceptional achievement in their professions or community service.
“Our choices do not so much define us as reveal who we are, and this is why the Blaisdell Award matters to me,” says Haynes, who is currently the interim vice provost for faculty affairs and programs for the University of California. “It underscores the alignment of my personal choices and professional contributions with the enduring values of Pomona College.”
The youngest of nine siblings, Haynes grew up attending public schools, so stepping onto the campus of a residential private college was somewhat daunting at first. But he says the friendly and warm interactions he had with Pomona students, faculty and staff were reassuring and gave him a strong sense of belonging that ultimately helped him succeed. He fondly remembers the late Masago Armstrong, Pomona’s beloved longtime registrar, and says when he signed up for classes for the first time, he was surprised by how much she knew about him and his older brother Greg Haynes ’79.
In Pomona’s classrooms and residence halls, Haynes says his peers inspired him to take risks, explore his curiosities and even reminded him to make time for fun. In the history department, the lessons professors Sam Yamashita, Sidney Lemelle and Robert Woods taught extended beyond instilling Haynes with a passion for European history. He says they exemplified what it meant to successfully blend the roles of educator, scholar and dedicated member of a thriving, intellectual community.
“These formative experiences at Pomona animated my career at the University of California, where I used my agency as a professor, academic leader and executive to help build a community where diversity is supported, equity is expected, inclusion is practiced and free speech is honored,” says Haynes.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in history from Pomona and a doctorate in modern European history from UC Berkeley, Haynes began his career as an assistant professor of history at UC Irvine in 1992, where he assumed several leadership positions. A founding member of the Department of African American Studies in 1996, he later served as the inaugural director of the interdisciplinary undergraduate program in global cultures.
What followed next was a series of more firsts. Haynes was UCI’s first vice provost for academic equity, diversity and inclusion and was pivotal in establishing the university’s commitment to faculty diversity and gender equality. As UCI’s inaugural vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, he created the Office of Inclusive Excellence which expanded opportunities and developed programs for underrepresented groups. Over a 30-year career, Haynes developed, launched and oversaw significant initiatives that helped elevate UCI as a national leader and global model for inclusion.
“Doug has created a legacy for others to follow in striving for inclusive excellence by building on his own experience at Pomona and incorporating the College’s values into his work,” Mayes says. “We are so proud to call him a Sagehen!”
Visit our website to read more about the 2025 Alumni Award winners.