Student Life

UC Merced Receives 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award

September 12, 2025

The University of California, Merced, has received the 2025 Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education. The annual HEED Award is a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and...

UC Merced and Campos Foundation Host ENgage Summer Bridge Academy for Students in STEM

UC Merced, in conjunction with longtime campus partner the Campos Foundation, launched the pilot Campos ENgage Summer Bridge Academy, a weeklong summer program aimed at supporting underrepresented...

Open Arms, Open Skies: Students Welcomed at Spirited, Soggy Scholars Bridge Crossing

Spirits were high and futures bright while all else was soaked in a summer storm that made Tuesday morning’s Scholars Bridge Crossing, UC Merced’s traditional greeting to new students, a...

UC Merced Marks 20th Year with New Academic Programs, First DII Season and Celebration

The new academic year is a momentous milestone for UC Merced — two decades of growth, innovation and achievement. In 2005, the first undergraduate students were welcomed on the new campus. Now...

Buhach Valedictorian Pursues Environmental Engineering at UC Merced this Fall

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester. Drake Ledford was an exemplary high school student, earning a 4.29 GPA. The Merced...

New Alumni-Funded Endowment to Champion LGBTQ+ Initiatives at UC Merced

A group of dedicated UC Merced alumni have come together to launch an endowed fund focused on supporting LGBTQ+ student initiatives, programs and priorities. Spearheaded by University of...

Interdisciplinary Humanities Ph.D. graduate Nicolette Lecy and her 4-year-old son, Alejandro

Humanities Grad Student Advocates for Student Parents

When Nicolette Lecy began her graduate studies at UC Merced, life was anything but typical. It was August 2020, in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lecy’s classes were held remotely, and...

‘Queen of the Court’ Ready to Make Her Mark at UC Merced

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester. Michailla Springs led her high school basketball team in scoring and earned MVP honors. With a...

New Bobcat Pursues Public Health and Passion for Performing

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester. Trinity King is coming to UC Merced with dreams of shining both as a performer and in the health...

UC Merced to Celebrate the Class of 2025 with Spring Commencement Ceremonies

The University of California, Merced, will celebrate the accomplishments of more than 1,500 students during its Spring 2025 Commencement ceremonies, to be held May 16 -18 on the UC Merced Recreation...