Brenda Ortiz

Hundreds Gather at UC Merced to Explore Graduate School Pathways

October 30, 2025

Photo depicts a crowd of students in front of a UCM letter installation on the UC Merced campus.

UC Merced buzzed with energy as nearly 800 students and 200 recruiters, staff and volunteers from across California converged on campus on Oct. 18 for the California Forum for Diversity in Graduate Education - a dynamic event dedicated to inspiration, inclusion and academic ambition....

First Alumni Association Board Members Named

In conjunction with Homecoming weekend, UC Merced has announced the formation of the first-ever board of directors for its Alumni Association. Christopher Abrescy (’09), Uday Bali (’08), Josh Bolin...

Impact: Students Work to Inspire Future Leaders

http://youtu.be/scG1zyM5pH0 As part of its mission to support and enhance the educational opportunities for California’s young people, UC Merced has engaged in a number of projects that reach out to...

Fall Enrollment Nears 5,200, Exceeds Expectations

The University of California, Merced, today announced total enrollment for the Fall 2011 semester is 5,198, exceeding 5,000 students for the first time thanks to the largest freshman class in the...

Health Center Offers Convenient Care, Support for Students

College is an adjustment. Over the span of a summer, high school seniors go from living under the watchful eye of parents to being full-fledged adults. Students have to manage their own money, time,...

Local Entrepreneur Gives $2 Million to Support UC Merced Students

The Bright Family Foundation has donated $2 million to the University of California, Merced, to provide advising and learning support services to students during their first year and beyond....

Student Bridges Generation Gap, Finds Acceptance and Fulfillment

David Brantley isn’t a typical UC Merced student. He’s older by a few decades. He’s already built a career as a professional photographer. And he’s the patriarch of three generations of Brantleys on ...

UC Merced's Impact Growing Rapidly as New Academic Year Begins

With student enrollment expected to top the 5,000 mark this fall, faculty research projects winning major new grants and making national headlines, and intercollegiate athletics about to begin, the...

Tulare County Valedictorians Continue Friendship, Academic Dreams

Stephanie Ruiz and Marisela Torres have been friends since seventh grade, and they share dreams that include college degrees and teaching careers. So it’s no surprise that these Tulare County...

Police Mentor Program Steers Youngsters Toward College

Uriel Bravo is about to become a freshman at Merced High School, but he's already thinking about college — thanks partly to the encouragement of a UC Merced program. “I really want to go to college...