Alyssa Johansen

UC Merced Receives Transformational $38 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott

December 8, 2025

The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This transformational investment, Ms. Scott’s second major gift to UC Merced, underscores growing national recognition of UC...

UC Merced Named the 14th Best College in the Nation by Wall Street Journal

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best...

UC Merced Launches Distinguished Speaker Series with World-Renowned Bioengineer David Kaplan

The Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) at UC Merced is preparing to launch its long-envisioned distinguished speaker series on Oct. 6 with a visit from David Kaplan, a Tufts University...

20th anniversary UC Merced architecture as art

20th Anniversary Exhibit Presents UC Merced Architecture as Art

Before the first walls were raised or walkways paved, UC Merced existed as an idea on paper. The vision consisted of a campus master plan, detailed architectural designs and artistic renderings that...

Gary Stewart Named UC Merced Head Men's Basketball Coach

Gary Stewart, who has won 385 career games across all levels of NCAA basketball, has been named the University of California, Merced head men's basketball coach, Executive Director of Recreation...

UC Merced Named Top 25 Public University by U.S. News & World Report

UC Merced’s upward trajectory shows no signs of slowing as the university has cracked the Top 25 of U.S. News & World Report’s best public schools in the nation. The annual survey...

UC Merced and Fresno Unified Launch Guaranteed Admission Path with Scholarship Opportunity

A new program between UC Merced and the Fresno Unified School District guarantees admission to UC Merced for qualified high school juniors and offers each student the chance to earn up to $12,000 in...

UC Merced Safety Conference Returns With Experts’ Real-world Safety Solutions

The UC Merced Safety Conference will begin Sept. 23, offering attendees a chance to explore the latest trends, strategies and innovations in safety while connecting with experts and peers. The two-...

UC Merced Receives 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award

The University of California, Merced, has received the 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication...

From the Valley, for the Valley: New SJV PRIME+ Students Embark on Journey to Transform Health Care

The stethoscopes may come later, but the commitment to community was clear as UC Merced welcomed its newest SJV PRIME+ students last weekend. The Student and Family Welcome event marked the beginning...