UC Merced said “welcome” to its 2,400 new students Tuesday as only UC Merced can, with a joyous and colorful Scholars Bridge Crossing ceremony that symbolizes their transformation into Bobcats at the San Joaquin Valley’s only research university.
Hundreds of those first-year or transfer students gathered in yellow T-shirts on the lawn next to the Pavilion dining hall in preparation for the crossing.
“I don’t know of any other institution in higher education that has something like this,” Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz told them. “Take pictures, take selfies, and years from now you’ll look back and remember that morning when you crossed the bridge and began your academic journey at UC Merced.”
Muñoz, along with Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Betsy Dumont and the deans of the university’s three schools, led the students up Scholars Lane and over the bridge that crosses Fairfield Canal. Along the lane, scores of well-wishers cheered and waved signs signifying support from current students, staff and faculty across campus.
On the other side of the bridge, three members of the Korie family watched, smiling, as the parade of new ’Cats approached. On Sunday, they came with new student Chimka Korie from their Santa Clarita home and helped him move into a residence hall.
“Our son is very creative. He’s a thinker. We wanted a school that would nurture him,” said Chimka’s mother, Ijendu, watching with her husband, Theophane, and their younger daughter, Ije. “So, a school that can be a family. A smaller school, a newer school. We also are excited about the research, so his ideas can get attention.”
On the other side of the bridge, Jeffery Winters held up a sign that read “Woot. Bobcats. Woot.” Winters is entering his fourth year at UC Merced, having transferred from Fresno City College. He works as a student systems administrator in the Office of Information Technology.
“I didn’t want to be too far from home,” said Winters, who lives in Fresno. “I was looking at different UCs and was very impressed with UC Merced.”
After the bridge crossing, the new students completed the tradition that started in 2005 by passing through the arches of the Beginnings sculpture on the Carol Tomlinson-Keasey Quad.
The university community doubled down on celebrating its new students with the Pawrade, a procession of 32 carts decorated and represented by various offices, departments and divisions. After a raucous roll across the bridge, the carts were parked around the quad so students could admire them and vote for a favorite.
A few yards from the parked carts, Anthony Baca sat on a step outside the Science and Engineering 2 Building. Baca will commute from his home in Ceres. He’s older than most first-years, putting in five years in the Navy straight out of high school. He served on the USS Green Bay, a ship that performs as a floating dock for amphibious landing craft.
Baca was an electrician on the Green Bay. He plans to major in electrical engineering.
“When I was in the Navy, I was thinking about coming here,” he said.
Another first-year, Colin Dennis, comes from Castro Valley. He also plans to major in electrical engineering.
“I like how diverse the community is, along with the opportunities that UC Merced has for students,” Dennis said. “And I just like how quiet the campus is. It’s really chill.”
On another part of the quad, two new first-years, Griselda Martinez and Hugo Rivera, strolled hand-in-hand on the quad. Both are from Cutler-Orosi, a small community on Fresno County’s agricultural east side. Both are looking at civil engineering majors.
As others said Tuesday, UC Merced’s accessible size and fresh appearance were attractive.
As Martinez said, “It’s really cute.”
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