UC Merced Celebrates 15 Years as a Hispanic-serving Institution

Fifteen years ago, UC Merced was designated as a Hispanic-serving institution. And though recent developments at the federal government have left what that designation means in limbo, the mission of serving the university’s largest demographic has remained unchanged.

More than 53 percent of undergraduate students are Hispanic, and 71 percent of enrolled students identify as first-generation (a student whose parents did not complete four-year college degrees).

Merced is one of five University of California campuses designated an HSI. The others are Riverside, Santa Cruz, Irvine and Santa Barbara.

Tonantzín Oseguera, vice chancellor for student affairs and engagement at UC Merced, said there are a lot of misconceptions about what being an HSI means.

“If you look at the history of how HSIs came to be, for schools that had high enrollments of Hispanic or Latino students, it provided better infrastructure,” she said. “Things like better labs and programs, aimed at helping underrepresented students, that are open to everyone.”

It’s not, she said, direct aid to any particular group of students. In California, that kind of aid from a public university would be illegal, because Prop. 209 prohibits preferential treatment “based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.”

What an HSI does not do is exclude other populations or communities.

UC Merced has developed programs, including Summer Bridge, and math and writing classes that are available to the entire student population.

“A rising tide lifts all boats,” Oseguera pointed out.

Oseguera spoke about attending her first UC Merced commencement ceremony. She came from a school in Southern California that was predominantly Latino, but here she saw so many graduates honoring their heritage with cowboy hats and boots.

“It’s really unique to the Valley,” she said.

And at the annual Bridge Crossing event, she said, the deejay played mainstream hits from the 1980s and ’90s, but when “La Chona” came over the speakers, “that’s when people went wild, at 9 o’clock in the morning.”

The university takes care to represent and respect the multitude of cultures represented on its campus.

“For many people of color, this is their entry point to higher education,” Oseguera said. “They came here to go to college.”

The university has been recognized for its efforts. In 2023, UC Merced received a Hispanic-Serving Institution Impact Award from Angeles Investors, a national group of angel investors focused on finding and funding Hispanic and Latino ventures. In 2021, UC Merced was one of only 10 institutions nationwide to be recognized with the prestigious Seal of Excelencia by Excelencia in Education, a national organization dedicated to advancing Latino student success in higher education. That award was recertified last year.

UC Merced has several organizations that reflect and support the Latino culture. They include:

• La Familia de UC Merced, a Latinx-serving professional organization that aims to facilitate personal growth and betterment. The group provides resources, support and access to an "endless network of tios and tias" for all members.

• Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) has a mission to change lives by empowering the Hispanic community to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support and development. SHPE provides members with academic assistance, professional development and access to a global network of Hispanic engineers, scientists and mathematicians.

• El Club de Español, which creates a space on campus for Spanish speakers and non-Spanish speakers alike to learn more about Español and each other's culture.Weekly meetings are open to the entire Bobcat community — students, staff and faculty. Club President César Chávez Guzmán said in addition to helping students learn more about the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking countries, the club connects them with other students who share their interest in learning more about the culture through activities, music and games, where they can meet new people and practice their Spanish. “Seeing the number of Hispanic/Latinx students on campus made me feel welcomed and excited about the possibility of becoming a Bobcat,” said the third-year Spanish major from Santa Maria. “El Club de Español had caught my eye, and I became a member during my first year. It made me feel welcomed and excited to come to UC Merced; it felt like I had found a second home.”

• Hermanas Unidas is aimed at being a welcoming and inclusive space for hermanas, or sisters, to be their authentic selves through three pillars of community service, academics and social networking.

• Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) fosters the development of scientists from underrepresented minorities. UC Merced's SACNAS chapter puts on workshops throughout the year on topics including traveling abroad, resume building and various professional careers.

• Hispanics in Healthcare is dedicated to fostering a supportive and united community for students with an interest in medicine who identify with Hispanic heritage. “We aim to support Hispanic students with every aspect relating to achieving their goals of becoming medical professionals,” said Zinedine Valdez-Delgado, a third-year biological sciences and public health double major from Stockton who is the club president.

• Ballet Folklorico de UC Mercedpreserves the bright, colorful and rich culture of Mexican dance. The club caters to both beginners and more advanced dancers, preparing them for live performances at events on campus and in the community. Members perform dances from regions all over Mexico, including Jalisco, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Veracruz and Baja California Norte.

• El Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlá, or MEChA, is a student organization that promotes advocacy for marginalized communities while creating a safe space for social, political, and cultural ideas/opinions. The organization was built on a Chicano-based movement that has been developed to help amplify the voices of all marginalized communities.

Although the federal government recently announced it would eliminate $350 million in grants earmarked for Hispanic-serving institutions, along with cuts to programs serving other minority groups, that doesn’t mean the university’s dedication to that population has wavered.

“We will continue to serve the demographic of students who come to us,” Oseguera said. “It’s not about celebrating a week or a holiday. It’s about the fabric of who our students are and being responsive to that in culturally appropriate ways.”