Brenda Ortiz

Commuter Student Finds Belonging at UC Merced

March 31, 2026

Most weekdays, civil engineering major Jacqueline Garcia travels 45 minutes each way from her hometown of Hughson to attend classes at UC Merced. “The perk is being able to pursue my undergraduate degree while still having a tie to home. It's been great having the campus here in the...

Student, Alumni Creating a Culture of Giving on Campus

Management and business economics major Christopher Bernal is leaving a legacy at UC Merced, as the first student to establish an endowed scholarship to support other UC Merced students in their...

Will Shadish Memorial Fellowship Announced for Giving Tuesday

During this year’s Giving Tuesday — an international day of giving held each year on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving — UC Merced will honor Professor Will Shadish with a new graduate student...

Cheer Team Steps Up to Support Junior College

The UC Merced Cheer Team is stepping up to support its neighbors. Nearby Merced College doesn’t have an active spirit squad, so UC Merced’s team will root on the sidelines for the Blue Devils’...

Alumnus Stays Local, Launches Environmentally Friendly Career

Stephen Ho’s experience at UC Merced helped him land an internship with E. & J. Gallo Winery in Livingston shortly after his graduation in 2012. His engineering expertise, passion for the...

Annual Event Celebrates All Things Sustainable

The Student Sustainability Council is hosting the second annual EcoFest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, on Scholars Lane, hoping to encourage the campus’s culture of sustainability. “Our...

Student Health and Counseling Services Receive National Accreditation

UC Merced’s H. Rajender Reddy Health Center, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and Health Promotion received accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (...

Boys & Girls Clubs Partner With UC to Prepare Youth for College

UC Merced is one of three campuses in the University of California system to team up with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America to prepare young Californians for college success. The partnership...

New Financial Aid Application Process Benefits Students

This year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process has two major changes aimed at making it easier for students to apply for financial aid. The FAFSA for the 2017-18 academic year...

$3.6 Million Grant Funding Helps Valley Students Realize Educational Dreams

Three grants totaling more than $3.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education will help UC Merced’s Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP) continue its Talent Search program, which...