This story is part of a series for Black History Month. Read more stories highlighting Black excellence at UC Merced.
Men's basketball senior Myles Haynes has encountered expected and unexpected opportunities at UC Merced, and he has done his best to embrace each one.
His journey has led to unique experiences he had never imagined. From starting his own nonprofit organization to entering the starting lineup during a championship season to representing UC Merced at a Board of Regents meeting and the Black Student Athlete Summit, he has excelled. He has also paved the way for others.
"I wouldn't change a thing about my experience here," Haynes said. "I've been fortunate enough to play basketball here for four years and study management and business economics. I'm super grateful for the cool experiences like the Black Student Athlete Summit and the Board of Regents meetings, just being able to experience so many different people in those places and just network."
One day Haynes could be speaking on a panel in front of President Michael Drake. Another, he could be getting ready for a big basketball game and organizing an event for his nonprofit, Human Health Project.
Haynes - teammates and friends call him Mylo - redshirted his freshman year but has since become a key contributor for the Bobcats, ranking seventh in program history with a .466 field goal percentage and 11th with 24 blocked shots. With Haynes in action, the Bobcats have won 38 of 50 conference games and been a top five defense in the NAIA each of the last three seasons, holding opponents to 61.2 points per game.
That same freshman year he redshirted, a door opened that changed his time in Merced forever. It had nothing to do with basketball.
Haynes was assigned a project in his entrepreneurship class.
"The goal of the project was to make $8,000 by the end of the semester," he said.
Haynes tossed ideas around but couldn't sell himself on any of them, so he asked his professor, Russ McBride, if he could do a nonprofit. McBride said yes. Haynes' new project was to collect as many items as possible and assign a monetary value to each with the goal of hitting $8,000.
He called it the Human Help Project. He would donate the items he gathered to those in need in the Merced community.
"It was very fluid at first. I was trying new things, going through trial and error, but by the end of the semester I ended up raising $10,000 worth of stuff," said Haynes, who got an A on the project.
With the help of fellow students, including some of his teammates, the items were distributed throughout the city.
The Human Help Project was so successful that Haynes wanted to continue it beyond the entrepreneurship class. It made his decision easier when the student body started reaching out to him wanting to participate in the project.
Haynes always knew he wanted to make an immediate impact on the community. His project became the means to do so.
"The Human Health Project today has evolved into an opportunity for students, faculty, staff and anyone, really, to have a direct impact in their community," Haynes said. "Our motto is 'helping people help people.'"
Jayson Wiltz, a men's basketball teammate and Haynes' roommate, said he has seen the Human Help Project grow from an idea into something with a huge community impact. "Mylo has done an outstanding job of creating a caring and loving culture and wants to help those in need and spread positivity."
Those who participate in the Human Help Project don't have to donate items. Haynes takes care of gathering the items with the help of TIP Ministries in South Sacramento. He grew up going to church and volunteering his time there, and they are now the Human Help Project's top resource, supplying food, toiletries, drinks and other items for the nonprofit events. Plenty of other organizations also supply the Human Health Project.
All that participants need to do is donate a hour or so of their time on a designated Sunday to distribute the items throughout the city.
"All of our volunteers meet at Applegate Park," Haynes said. "We have a system in place to send people on different routes throughout the city and distribute all the items to people in the community. Then we all come back to Applegate Park and share our heartwarming experiences of giving back."
Haynes has orchestrated many events for the Human Help Project while partnering with student organizations who want community service opportunities or want a team-bonding experience.
"My favorite event is our annual toy drive. We donate them to CASA of Merced County for Christmas," he said. "We raised over $800 worth of toys this past year to make sure all the kids in CASA get presents for Christmas.
"We also go to nursing homes and pass out Valentines Day cards, work on the UC Merced Student Athlete Advisory Committee, and are even trying to get into hosting workshops focusing on mental health and things like that."
In the future, Haynes plans to bring Human Health Project events to other California campuses.
Back to basketball.
After struggling to find consistent minutes throughout his career, Haynes was inserted into the starting lineup full-time in the middle of what is now the longest winning streak in program history (13 games). In his first start, he scored 11 points and made his final five shots in the second half in a key win over Westcliff that gave the Bobcats sole possession of first place in the California Pacific Conference. Fast forward to senior day and the Bobcats' 11th win a row, when Haynes scored a career-high 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting.
He also dunked the game's exclamation point with two and a half minutes to go before being subbed out with the rest of his senior class to a standing ovation.
"My role has just been to be the glue," Haynes said. "Do what's necessary. Hit shots when I'm called upon, be the voice defensively, and just try to execute to the best of my ability. We have so many talented guys and incredible depth, but coach really trusts me to be able to get us orchestrated on and off the court."
On Feb. 21, the Bobcats won the first Cal Pac regular season championship in program history. Now they are chasing the tournament championship and the conference's automatic berth to the NAIA National Tournament. The latter would also be a first. And a last, as UC Merced is moving into Division II sports next year.
"Winning the tournament championship would mean everything. Especially with this being our last year in the Cal Pac and having the opportunity to win it at home, and we have to win one for coach Kevin Pham. Get him a ring. All the stars align. We have other aspirations, too, but this is step one."
Haynes has played in five playoff games in his career. He wants to double that number, which would mean the Bobcats win the conference tournament and make a run in the national championship tournament. Although Haynes has elected to return for a fifth year, this is the final chance for him to win in the playoffs as the Bobcats will be ineligible for the postseason next year as they continue their transition into NCAA Division II.
The Bobcats will host Cal Maritime at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28 in the Cal Pac Men's Basketball Tournament Championship semifinals. With a win, the Bobcats play for the tournament trophy at 4 p.m. March 2 at the Joseph Edward Gallo gymnasium.
Haynes' time at UC Merced has been filled with many fond memories, but one really sticks out: representing UC Merced on the Special Committee on Athletics at the UC Board of Regents meeting last September.
Haynes was joined on the committee by Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Executive Director of Recreation & Athletics David Dunham and women's water polo senior Jacquline Azevedo. Student Regent Josiah Beharry was also on the committee, and was a big reason Haynes was there. Beharry, a fan of the Human Help Project, wanted Haynes to represent UC Merced.
"Being able to represent my university was a really big deal for me," Haynes said. "The regents really wanted to know what it was like to be a student-athlete at UC Merced and, being a senior, I had a lot to share."
While at the meeting at UCLA, Haynes met many key figures of the University of California system such as President Michael Drake and world champion and former Cal track and field star Camryn Rogers.
"It was an amazing opportunity. It was exciting to see so many powerful people be so invested and engaged in me - me, as in Myles Haynes from the newest UC, you know what I mean?"
Dunham said Haynes did an amazing job speaking to the Regents. "His story on how he arrived at UC Merced and what he has accomplished while a student-athlete spoke volumes about Mylo not only as a student, but as a person. It was a pleasure getting to know Mylo during this trip and the Regents were very impressed with his message and the mission of his organization."
As if Haynes weren't already well-received on campus, he took in even more love when returning from UCLA.
"Jackie and I were stopped everywhere, for a week or maybe two weeks straight. Everyone was like, hey, I know you. You were speaking at the Regents on behalf of the school."
A lot has happened in Haynes' time as a Bobcat. And a lot is happening right now.
Two days after Haynes entered the starting lineup and the Bobcats won their seventh game of the 13-game winning streak, Black History Month started.
"Black History Month is extra-special for me," he said. "An opportunity to be mindful of where we come from and to be mindful of my heritage and culture, and how important that is to who I am today."
To honor Black History Month, the Human Health Project held an event called Giving "Black" to the Community, teaming up with Black campus organizations to distribute essential hygiene supplies to those in need in Merced.
"It's an opportunity to practice mindfulness," Haynes said, "to love other Black organizations and just empower each other, especially in times like this where there's so much uncertainty. Knowing that there's still togetherness in the Black community is important, especially in February."
It's safe to say Haynes has made an impact that will last for years to come. He has enjoyed the help along the way.
"I would just like to give a special thanks to God and my family and my Human Health Project staff, to my coaches, to everyone who has helped me along the way," he said. "Everything I have done has been because of the help and support of others. I'm just grateful for the time I've had here and grateful for the opportunities that were presented to me."
