For the second year, UC Merced has partnered with the Campos Foundation to host the Campos ENgage Engineering Summer Bridge Academy, a weeklong summer program aimed at supporting underrepresented minority and female students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Held from July 26-31, the program welcomed 25 rising seniors from high schools across the Central Valley, including Buhach Colony High School in Atwater; Sunnyside High School and University High School in Fresno; Le Grand High School in Le Grand; Matilda Torres High School in Madera; El Capitan High School, Golden Valley High School and Merced High School in Merced; Thomas Downey High School in Modesto; Patterson High School in Patterson; Tulare Western High School in Tulare; and Redwood High School in Visalia.
The 12 high schools across 10 cities are up from nine schools in the program's first year, signifying the academy's growing reach throughout the region.
The initiative is designed to offer students direct exposure to engineering through hands-on experiences, mentoring and academic workshops. Participants were also introduced to the UC Merced campus and learned about the university's welcoming and accessible environment.
"I have never been so invested in a team-based activity until now, and making a product and showing our effort is something I will never forget," one student-participant said.
"When a student sets their mind to solving a difficult open-ended problem and then builds a solution to that problem with their own hands, that student has started on the path to becoming an engineer," said Alejandro Gutiérrez, associate teaching professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and associate dean for student success. "We are helping them realize, often for the first time, that they have what it takes to do this work."
The Campos Foundation's mission is to elevate underrepresented students in STEM fields by creating access and early exposure to those fields. Through the Summer Bridge Academy, students are given the opportunity to see themselves as future engineers, a particularly critical focus in communities where many young people are first-generation college students.
"As someone who comes from a family of immigrants, with neither parent attending college, it was unclear how STEM or engineering would be for me," another participant said. "With the Campos ENgage Engineering Summer Bridge Academy program, I'm able to see engineering as a plausible path."
A generous grant from the Campos Foundation in 2025 enabled UC Merced to pilot the program's first cohort of 23 students. This year, the foundation renewed its support, allowing the campus to expand the program to 25 participants.
Results from that first cohort point to the program's promise. Of the 23 students in that group, 56% applied and were admitted to UC Merced, and 46% of those admitted went on to enroll for the fall term, an early indication that the academy is helping create a lasting pipeline to campus.
Through the program, students gained a better understanding of the work engineers do along with hands-on experiences that empowered them to picture themselves in a professional role. Their participation also introduced them to UC Merced as a supportive, attainable educational home built with their specific needs in mind, making both a college degree and an engineering career feel within reach.
"It was truly a blessing to be a part of this program," one student reflected. "It not only helped me learn more about engineering, but also about myself and what I value."
"The impact on the first cohort of Campos ENgage engineering students made clear how much this program means for these promising scholars and for the Central Valley's future engineering workforce," said Deanna Miller Campos, president of the Campos Foundation. "This important partnership between the Campos Foundation and UC Merced is continuing to create real pathways for underrepresented students in STEM, and we look forward to its ongoing growth and expansion."
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