Jody Murray

Writer-in-Residence Mark Arax Chronicles California's Lifeblood: Water

September 18, 2025

UC Merced has debuted a writer-in-residence program with one of California’s premier chroniclers of its history, especially the titanic power plays for land and water that have shaped the state’s growth and loom over its future. Mark Arax, a Fresno native, author and former Los...

Open Arms, Open Skies: Students Welcomed at Spirited, Soggy Scholars Bridge Crossing

Spirits were high and futures bright while all else was soaked in a summer storm that made Tuesday morning’s Scholars Bridge Crossing, UC Merced’s traditional greeting to new students, a...

UC Merced Ph.D. graduate Fabiola Perez-Lua

Fellowship Lifts Mission of Farmworkers’ Daughter to Improve Immigrant Health

A daughter of San Joaquin Valley immigrant farmworkers has earned the opportunity to study alongside a nationally prominent health researcher and energize her mission to improve the well-being of...

Igniting Our Response to Wildfires: the Power of Metaphors

As wind-whipped walls of flame destroyed hundreds of Los Angeles-area residences last January, one media report framed the disastrous wildfires in beastly terms, saying they were “ripping...

UC Merced Professor Christopher Ojeda and his book "The Sad Citizen"

Depression Due to Politics: the Quiet Danger to Democracy

On laptop screens, televisions and social media feeds across the nation, images and words fueled by a fractured political landscape spout anger, frustration and resentment. Clashing ideologies burst...

UC Merced CAPE Legislative Fellows Sacramento interns Rep. Adam Gray

UC Merced's CAPE Takes Extraordinary Steps to Prepare Legislative Interns

Mariel Garcia accepted a welcoming handshake from the chief of staff for state Sen. Tim Grayson. A large photograph of rolling hills at sunset near Walnut Creek, a city in Grayson’s district,...

UC Merced Project Aims to Strengthen Heat Relief in Kern County

In California’s Kern County, nearly 925,000 people live in oppressive heat 125 days per year. Several types of relief are offered. Residents can get breaks on energy bills bloated by air...

UC Merced Graduates Encouraged to Embrace Every Moment

With cheers, hugs and leis, more than 1,500 UC Merced graduates received a celebratory sendoff to their bright futures as a prominent keynote speaker told them to make the most of the here and now...

UC Merced Alumna’s Legal Career Soars in Silicon Valley

Temnee Wright (’08) has realized a successful career as legal counsel at several Silicon Valley companies. Her interest in law was forged at UC Merced, where she made the most out of being a...

A Picture of Kindness: Campus Photographer Adrover to Retire

Through the lens of Veronica Adrover we have seen buildings rise, graduates cheer and lasers glow. We’ve seen governors, a First Lady and a former U.S. president. We’ve glimpsed a young...