Buhach Valedictorian Pursues Environmental Engineering at UC Merced this Fall

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester.

Drake Ledford was an exemplary high school student, earning a 4.29 GPA. The Merced Union High School District (MUHSD) recognized him as one of its top scholars. He was also honored as valedictorian for his class and a California Scholarship Federation Sealbearer, the highest level of recognition for academic achievement, at his graduation in June.

On the baseball field, Ledford was named Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Academic All-Conference and on the basketball court, he received the coveted Coach’s Award.

He is headed to UC Merced in the fall and looks forward to the opportunities that lie ahead inside out outside the classroom.

Where I come from: I am from Atwater and I attended Buhach Colony High School.

What I've done: I was recognized as one of MUHSD's top scholars and one of the top 10 seniors at Buhach. I was a committed athlete playing varsity baseball and basketball. I earned the Coach’s Award in 2023 for playing basketball and the CCC All Academic award for baseball in 2025, which represents my dedication in and out of the classroom. 

Why are you excited about coming to UC Merced? I am excited to attend UC Merced this fall because the proximity of the campus allows me to live at home. It has a good environmental engineering program that suits my passion for making a difference.

Academic and personal goals: During my time at UC Merced, I hope to focus on earning a degree in environmental engineering and engaging in research if the opportunity is there. I will strive to maintain good grades and stay on track for my degree requirements. 

If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? I would eat tacos because I could put whatever I want inside them, giving me a wide variety of options to choose from. 

What do you do to relax or have fun? To relax and have fun, I enjoy playing baseball.

You can teleport anywhere in the world for a three-day weekend. Where would you go? I would go to Yosemite and try to do as many hikes as I can.