Gifts

UC Merced Receives Transformational $38 Million Gift from MacKenzie Scott

December 8, 2025

The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This transformational investment, Ms. Scott’s second major gift to UC Merced, underscores growing national recognition of UC...

Fresno Developer Ed Kashian Named 2024 Chancellor's Medal Recipient

Philanthropist and community leader Ed Kashian was awarded the UC Merced Chancellor’s Medal, the university’s highest honor, at the campus’s State of the University event on Oct. 9...

Children play and learn at the Kids Discovery Center

Three Years of Learning and Play at Kids Discovery Station Merced

Less than three years ago, the idea of bringing a children’s museum to Merced began to blossom. Since Mayya Tokman and Angelo Kyrilov, both UC Merced professors, opened the doors of Kids...

UC Merced faculty and graduate students collaborate with the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation to record rock art sites in Mariposa County.

Major Gift to Reimagine Humanities Research, Community-engaged Projects

Humanities education has been under fire on college campuses over the past decade. “There’s a lot of concern nationally about graduate education in the humanities. We’re...

Fellowship Expands Quantum, AI Training to Fill Industry Demand

UC Merced graduate students Anuvetha Govindarajan and Jocelyn Ornelas-Munoz have each received a $25,000 fellowship from SandboxAQ, which creates solutions at the nexus of artificial...

Orquidea Largo and Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz are seen in side-by-side images.

Grant Supports UC Merced Effort to Improve College Readiness in Valley

A significant grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will advance UC Merced's efforts to create a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of college readiness among high-school...

UC Merced student pose for a photo. The image reads, "Give to UC Merced. We did it! Boldly Forward. Thank you for your commitment to the University of California Mrced."

Give to UC Merced 2023 Raises Nearly $1.3 Million, Shattering Year-Old Record

Hundreds of UC Merced supporters made it crystal clear they believe in the university's mission, giving a record-breaking amount to support current Bobcats and other members of the campus...

Give to UC Merced 2023 Invites Campus and Community to Help Create Lasting Impact

After Thanksgiving wraps up, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday take hold of many people's time, attention and dollars. However, there is another day of opportunity —...

Ed and Jeanne Kashian Give $5 Million to Support Medical Education at UC Merced

Ed and Jeanne Kashian, longtime UC Merced donors who have supported the campus since its earliest days, have made a $5 million gift to advance the university's medical education efforts....

Students take part in a public health class at UC Merced

Transformative Gift to Gateway Scholarship Boosts UC Merced Undergraduate Support

The Gateway Scholarship Program, UC Merced's longstanding student-support initiative focused on empowering young people from the San Joaquin Valley, has received a significant infusion of funding...