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-Athlete Takes Leadership to the National Level

Junior Sammantha Fajardo wasn’t satisfied with merely representing UC Merced on the cross country course, so she stepped up to represent the university’s student-athletes at the national level. In...

Campus Honors Impact of Top Donors at Annual Event

Campus supporters, administrative and academic leadership, faculty members, students and alumni gathered for UC Merced’s Celebration of Philanthropic Leaders event, held March 19 to recognize the...

Students Can Catch Up, Save Up With Summer Session

Completing degree requirements in eight semesters can be challenging for many students. Add a minor, a job or a semester abroad, and students can easily find themselves playing catch-up. That’s why...

Lecture to Highlight Campus’s Diverse, Interdisciplinary Spirit

UC Merced is launching a new public lecture series that combines the campus’s emphasis on interdisciplinary scholarship with its strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. The Chancellor’s...

Student volunteers at Mercy Medical Center

Student Volunteers Work With Local Emergency Department

In Fall 2007, Maricela Rangel-Garcia became one of the first UC Merced students to sign up for a new, non-clinical volunteer program in the busy Mercy Medical Center Emergency Department (ED...

Women's Basketball Wins Second Straight Conference Title

The UC Merced women's basketball team won its second consecutive Cal-Pac Conference championship Tuesday night, with a 76-56 victory in the conference tournament title game on the road against the...

Community Group Recognized for Charitable Work

The UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees recently honored the University Friends Circle (UFC) for its philanthropic efforts. Each year, the board honors a philanthropic leader — or in this year’s...

Campus Seeks Nominations for 2016 Leadership Awards

While at UC Merced, students work diligently to achieve academically and reach their leadership potential. Each year, the Margo F. Souza Student Leadership Center awards top students and student...

Undocumented Students Chase ‘Dreams’ Through Financial Aid

Some undocumented students struggling with financial aid restrictions are receiving up to $25,000 for their educations through TheDream.US, a scholarship program designed to help highly motivated,...