Diversity & Inclusion

Spotlighting Black Trailblazers Whose Stories Deserve to be Told

February 12, 2026

Black History Month often honors familiar names, leaders whose courage and determination changed the course of a nation. But many others have made groundbreaking contributions that exposed injustice, advanced civil rights, reshaped American culture and revolutionized technology. Their achievements...

U.S. News Places UC Merced Among Top 30 Public Schools Following Top Social Mobility Ranking By Wall Street Journal

The University of California, Merced, climbed once again in US News & World Report’s Best Colleges report, rising to the 26th best public school in the nation. Among all universities, UC...

A colorful piece by artist Gronk, depicting a figure standing in front of a wall, is pictured.

UC Merced Curates Sweeping Chicano Art Exhibit at 3 Galleries

A three-site exhibit is celebrating Chicano art in a collaboration between a university and a community - the culmination of a professor's nine years of effort. "Alma, Corazón, y Vida:...

UC Merced Ranked No. 1 in the Nation for Social Mobility, No. 18 Overall

When it comes to changing the lives of its students, UC Merced is second to none. In the latest Wall Street Journal America's Best Colleges rankings, UC Merced was the No. 1 university in...

A great white shark passes the diving cage holding Professor Sora Kim.

UC Merced Researcher Dives with the Big Sharks on Shark Week

UC Merced's resident shark expert, Professor Sora Kim, will be featured on the prime-time, premiere-night episode of Discovery’s Shark Week discussing an enormous, legendary sea creature...

A Dream Come True: Bobcat Plays for Fiji National Soccer Team

Between academic semesters and collegiate soccer seasons, UC Merced standout defender Preeya Singh is representing Fiji on the world stage. Over the past eight months, Singh has played in multiple...

UC Merced Professor Ma Vang and print of painting that is on the cover of her book "History on the Run"

Untangling Hmong History with UC Merced’s Ma Vang

Exploring sources of historical narratives can take you to places where walls seem to move and truth feels fluid and interchangeable. Ma Vang’s research has focused on how people narrate their...

Professor Ajay Gopinathan and CCBM Executive Director Carrie Kouadio

New Summer Research Opportunities for Undergraduates from Across U.S.

The National Science Foundation awarded a team, led by principal investigators Professor Ajay Gopinathan and Carrie Kouadio, funding to establish a summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (...

Speech therapists and TeleLingo creators Lorena Aceves Hernandez and Brenda Sanchez

Creators of TeleLingo, a Spanish Immersion Show for Children, Come to UC Merced

(Lee este artículo en español.) Take the cultural rewards of preserving Spanish for babies and toddlers in a bilingual home. Bring in two speech pathologists steeped in techniques that make...

Yehuda Sharim film "Flora" still image three daughters

Sharim Film 'Flora' to Premiere at Philadelphia Festival

"Flora," the latest film by Yehuda Sharim, will have its world premiere later this spring at a festival in Philadelphia, according to the UC Merced global arts professor. Sharim...

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