Undergraduate Experience at UC Merced

Student & Alumni Success

Alumna Brings Behavioral Science to the Front Lines of Sleep Innovation

September 14, 2026

Headshot of Hilly Rus and UC Merced campus entrance
For Holly Rus, ’17, a passion for health psychology and real-world impact has led to a career at the forefront of consumer sleep research. She is head of scientific research at Sleep.ai, where she directs studies designed to improve health and wellness through better sleep. “I lead a...
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman takes a photo with UC Merced students Rayan Dua and Samir Ahmed.

NASA Administrator Offers UC Merced Students a Glimpse of Their Future

It might seem that an airfield filled with old planes is a strange place to talk about the future of space flight. But Jared Isaacman, the administrator of NASA, said the Castle Air Museum was the...
Teddy Adams, Olivia Gawel, Adrianna Seiden, Bridget Sprecher and Taylor Whitney

UC Merced Ph.D. Students Receive ARCS Support for STEM Research

Five UC Merced doctoral students have earned prestigious awards from the Northern California Chapter of ARCS Foundation, joining a select group of scholars recognized for outstanding research....
UC Merced students and Rufus mascot at Beginnings sculpture during Scholars Bridge Crossing

Big Smiles in Big Collection of New Bobcats at Scholars Bridge Crossing

A smiling throng of new faces took part Tuesday in one of UC Merced’s oldest traditions, the Scholars Bridge Crossing. Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz and other campus leaders led the march...
Professor Patti LiWang and student Adesh Johal, holding a syringe and a test tube, stand in a lab at UC Merced.

Early Ambition, Hard Work Lead to Graduating UC Merced at 19

A few months ago, Adesh Johal wanted to join Patti LiWang's research group. "At the time, he was loaded up on credits so it didn't seem like he would have enough time to get...
Graphic with Bobcat Bound graphic ad headshot of Esperanza Garcia

Merced Native Sets Sights on Career in Veterinary Medicine

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2026 semester. Driven by a passion for animal care, incoming biological sciences major student Esperanza...
Bobcat Bound graphic with headshot of Shrihan Lakinana

Dublin High Grad Drawn to UC Merced’s Growth and Potential

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2026 semester. Incoming UC Merced student Shrihan Lakinana is bringing a growth mindset, a passion for...

A Healer Shaped by the Valley and Devoted to Its Future

Editor's note: This story is republished from the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of UC Merced Magazine. Dr. Garima Handa's journey from an undergraduate at UC Merced to a physician...
collage of three graduate students: Brianna Aguilar-Solis, Vanessa Sanchez and Nora Shamoon

Three UC Merced Students Receive Fellowships Supporting Future Faculty

UC Merced doctoral students Brianna Aguilar-Solis, Vanessa Sanchez and Nora Shamoon have been awarded the 2026-2027 UC President's Pre-Professoriate Fellowship, a University of California...
Bobcat Bound graphic and a photo of incoming student Peyton Smith.

Fresno Student Eager to Dive into Life at UC Merced

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2026 semester. Peyton Smith brings a love of water sports, an interest in medicine and a goal to work as a...

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