Campus Community

UC Merced Named the 14th Best College in the Nation by Wall Street Journal

October 1, 2025

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best Colleges in the U.S., the highly respected media outlet has named UC Merced the 14th best college in...

The grant will help the campus offer workshops focused on such topics as teaching challenges and best practices for advancing research and will provide networking opportunities with supportive senior faculty and administrators.

Andrew W. Mellon Grant Helps Campus Expand Diversity in the Humanities Faculty

A new grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will help UC Merced further diversify its community of graduate students and faculty, beginning with the humanities and humanistic social sciences...

Online Show Offers a New Way for Students to Engage in 'Crucial Conversations'

UC Merced is venturing into the bright lights of YouTube shows and junior Kamyar Nekoui is leading the charge. Tuesday marks the release of the first online episode of Nekoui’s project, a...

UC Merced Professors Honored for Work with First-Generation Students

UC Merced psychology Professor Anna Song and biology Professor Jennifer Manilay had a special dinner with UC President Janet Napolitano at her Oakland home recently to honor the faculty...

Jaapna Dhillon is UC Merced’s first postdoctoral researcher to receive a Pathway to Independence Award from the National Instit

Postdoc Earns Prestigious NIH Award to Study Health Disparities

Jaapna Dhillon had no idea that studying how almonds affect health would win her a huge advantage in securing a tenure-track position. But Dhillon just became UC Merced’s first postdoctoral...

Frustration and Compromise in Flocking Cells Produce New Migration Patterns

Even if some members of a goal-driven group don’t seem to work well with others — even if the whole group is extremely frustrated — the group can still compromise and find new ways...

Soccer Teams Inaugurate New Field with Two Games on Labor Day

UC Merced’s men's and women's soccer team's invite everyone out to an inaugural double-header on the newly unveiled Bobcat Field. The games are presented by the Merced Mall and...

Founding Faculty Member Leading Campus in New Role

Cognitive science Professor Teenie Matlock, the McClatchy Chair in Communications , has been appointed interim vice provost for the faculty at UC Merced. This is her first high-level...

A large crowd of campus community members stand in line for food at UC Merced's new dining center, The Pavilion.

The Pavilion Serves Up Tasty Fare, More Menu Options in Bigger Digs

Before Executive Chef Mitch Vanagten and his Dining Services team members saw blueprints for The Pavilion — UC Merced’s new dining center and centerpiece of the Merced 2020 Project’...

Men’s Soccer Team Gaining in Recognition and Rankings

The University of California, Merced men's soccer team enters the season this week ranked No. 23 in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. The ranking marks the first time in program...