Arts and Culture

Merced Trio to Share Knowledge, Visions as UC Merced Artists-in-Residence

February 5, 2026

UC Merced artists in residence Ruben Aguilera Sanchez, Frank Ayala and Abel Corchado

Three Merced painters, united in friendship and in their steadfast determination not to compromise their creative values, are serving as UC Merced’s first locally based artists-in-residence. The brushes of Ruben Aguilera Sanchez, Frank Ayala and Abel Corchado create surreal scenes of...

Campus Brings Urban Dance Troupe to Merced Theatre

UC Merced will bring the acclaimed Lula Washington Dance Theater to Merced on Sept. 29. Renowned for its mix of jazz, ballet and urban street styles, the troupe will perform at the recently-restored...

Doctoral Student Researches Area History, Pursues New Career

An academic focus on the Central Valley region’s historically African-American communities brought Michael Eissinger to UC Merced. He decided the UC’s newest campus was the best...

'Ugh the Duck' to Entertain Local Youth

“Ugh the Duck,” a retelling of the classic tale, “The Ugly Duckling,” will be performed at UC Merced in May as part of an effort to expose Merced County youth to opera and theater. The project is...

Thirst for Knowledge Leads History Buff Back to School

Like many others, 38-year-old Micah Chandler of Merced found himself laid off and without options after the economy nosedived in 2007. When he couldn’t find work, Chandler’s wife suggested he...

Ph.D. Alum Applies a Scholar's Mind to Patriotic Service

When Trevor Albertson (’09) started as the California deputy secretary for veterans services last summer, his longtime focus on higher education came in handy right away. Considering his department...

Graduate Student's Urban Art Research has Global Reach

Graduate student Marco Valesi is turning a scholarly lens on an emerging form of expression. He searches cities for art that appears without the approval of authorities. Few scholars across the globe...

Library Digitizes Civil War Diaries from Valley Family

Diaries belonging to a Civil War soldier who witnessed the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln have been digitized and published by UC Merced’s Kolligian Library. Henry O. Nightingale was an...

Students Benefit from Professor's Costume Design Expertise

Dunya Ramicova's costume designs have enchanted audiences for decades, but some of her biggest fans now sit in UC Merced classrooms. Ramicova, the university's first arts professor and one of its...

Ancient Chinese Government Lends Perspective to Modern Challenges

Government, for better or worse, hasn't changed all that much in two millennia. China's government 2,000 years ago confronted the same kinds of problems as their modern counterparts — making...