Brenda Ortiz

UC Merced Receives $1 Million Award to Support Postdoctoral Fellows

March 11, 2026

UC Merced has received a $1 million grant from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to strengthen postdoctoral fellowships and expand research in the natural sciences. Awarded through the foundation’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Commitment, this distinction places UC Merced...

Jaapna Dhillon is UC Merced’s first postdoctoral researcher to receive a Pathway to Independence Award from the National Instit

Postdoc Earns Prestigious NIH Award to Study Health Disparities

Jaapna Dhillon had no idea that studying how almonds affect health would win her a huge advantage in securing a tenure-track position. But Dhillon just became UC Merced’s first postdoctoral...

Three summer programs offer high school students the opportunity to spend time on a college campus and learn subjects ranging from mathematics and technology.

Summer Programs Enhance Students’ Success in High School and Beyond

Araceli Hernandez could have been playing video games, swimming or sleeping in over summer break, but instead she was doing math. And she’s happy about it. Hernandez took part in one of...

Summer programs offer younger students the opportunity to spend time on the UC Merced campus and learn subjects ranging from leadership to science and technology.

Summer Outreach Programs Foster Learning, Community

Taking part in a summer program can help students develop new skills, get hands-on experience, meet other students with similar interests and get a taste of college life. It’s also a plus on...

Grad Student Awarded Thesis of the Year for Work in Public Health

UC Merced public health graduate student Erendira “Dida” Estrada's master’s thesis, “Development of a participatory health communication intervention: An ecological...

Vice Chancellor Ed Klotzbier, Monique de Villa (’16), Danielle Armedilla (’12), and Chancellor Dorothy Leland

Alumnae Staff Members Honor Family With Endowed Scholarships

In creating scholarships to help future generations of Bobcats succeed, UC Merced staff members and alumnae Monique de Villa (’16) and Danielle Armedilla (’12) are cementing the legacy...

Craig Harmelin and Suki Spencer are among the first staff members on campus to receive Fulbright awards

New Fulbright Awards Strengthen Campus Study-Abroad Initiatives

Two staff members in UC Merced’s Office of International Affairs have earned prestigious Fulbright awards that will help the campus expand and develop study-abroad opportunities for students...

More than 1,200 degrees were conferred last weekend, pushing the campus's alumni total over 9,000.

Perseverance, Leadership Key Themes of Campus’ Spring Commencement

UC Merced’s exuberant spring graduates got the chance to demonstrate their gratitude during the 13th Spring Commencement ceremonies this weekend as many of them paused to thank the faculty...

New Endowment Enhances Alumni Association’s Initiatives

Last month, the UC Merced Alumni Association (UCMAA) established the UC Merced Alumni Association Journey Endowment with $25,000 it collected through fundraising efforts to support initiatives...

Nathan Parmeter, Arlene Kranich, Melissa Becerra and Haipeng Li

New Scholarship Pays Homage to Persistence and Research

A generous gift from the grandmother of a UC Merced alumna and current staff member is benefitting two undergraduate students who put the UC Merced Library to good use. Melissa Becerra, a third-...