Undergraduate Experience at UC Merced

Student & Alumni Success

From Wild Mushrooms to Punchlines, Bobcats Learn in Out-of-the-Box Ways

May 26, 2026

A student hones communication skills by learning how to use comedy to deliver messages.
Editor's note: This story is republished from the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of UC Merced Magazine. Walk across UC Merced’s campus on any weekday, and you might hear laughter spilling from a classroom, feel the thrum of a wind tunnel or spot students crouched in a field searching for...
Members of UC Merced's National Society of Black Engineers pose with their certificate at the convention in Baltimore.

Black Engineering Society Honored as Chapter of the Year, Again

UC Merced's chapter of the  National Society of Black Engineers was again honored as the Region VI Medium Chapter of the Year. It is the second consecutive year the organization received this...
Microscope on lab bench with researcher in background.

W.M. Keck Foundation Expands Investment in UC Merced’s Bold Scientific Research

The W.M. Keck Foundation has awarded UC Merced nearly $1.8 million in new grants that fuel ambitious research and give early-career scientists a crucial boost at a pivotal stage of their careers....
UC Merced student Tyrese Francis poses at an outdoor hallway

New Business Administration, Accounting Majors Address High Demand

A new UC Merced major arrived just in time for Tyrese Francis. When the student starts his third year at the university this fall, he will dive into coursework for a degree in business...
Blue and gold streamers fly over the heads of graduates at UC Merced's Graduate Division commencement ceremony.

Commencement Celebrates UC Merced's History, Looks Ahead to Future

Smiling even as she cried, Nancy Rodas De Leon stood in UC Merced's University Plaza, accepting hugs, flowers, stuffed animals and cards from extended family. "These are happy...
A graduate student eagerly anticipates her hooding ceremony.

Degrees, Cheers and a Record Number of Graduates Under the Open Sky

UC Merced is abuzz with celebration as students, families, friends, staff and faculty finish last-minute preparations for the largest commencement in university history. Across three outdoor...
Collage of three headshots of Commencement keynote speakers

UC Merced Alumni to Take the Stage as Commencement Speakers

UC Merced will celebrate the Class of 2026 with three inspiring alumni returning to campus as keynote speakers for commencement ceremonies May 15-17. Emily Reed, ’07, ’13, a tenured...
UC Merced students have an expanding number of paths to internships, experiences and careers at national laboratories.

UC Merced Talent Finds Its Future in National Lab Research

Editor's note: This story is republished from the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of UC Merced Magazine. Omar DeGuchy remembers the moment he left the comfort of UC Merced — the place he’...
Two men in suits stand beside a tiger mascot wearing a white “TIGERS 26” jersey behind a table on a stage with purple lighting.

UC Merced and Reedley College Expand Transfer Opportunities for Valley Students

A new partnership between Reedley College and UC Merced is designed to expand opportunities for students to remain in the Central Valley and seamlessly transfer after completing their community...
Elementary school students get a lesson in engineering and physics from undergraduates in the CalTeach program.

UC Merced Opens Flexible Routes from STEM Degrees to Teaching and Beyond

Students who arrive at UC Merced planning on specific careers often discover along the way that their interests — and strengths — are broader than they first imagined. A new initiative...

Pages

Subscribe to Student & Alumni Success