Student Life

UC Merced Celebrates 15 Years as a Hispanic-serving Institution

October 8, 2025

Photo depicts a graduation cap with writing on it in Spanish at UC Merced's commencement.

Fifteen years ago, UC Merced was designated as a Hispanic-serving institution. And though recent developments at the federal government have left what that designation means in limbo, the mission of serving the university’s largest demographic has remained unchanged. More than 53 percent...

Give to UC Merced 2021 Raises Nearly $230,000 in Campus Support

In December, the Give to UC Merced 2021 fundraising initiative surpassed the targeted goal of $100,000, garnering a total of $227,569 to support programs and people throughout the university. Give...

UC Merced students will get the opportunity to serve their community while receiving financial support for college through the new program #CaliforniaForAll College Fellowship.

Campus Receives Grant to Provide Financial Support to Students in Service to Communities

As part of the 2021-22 Governor’s California Comeback Plan, UC Merced students will get the opportunity to serve their community while receiving financial support for college through the new...

For a second year, the traditional 24-hour period of giving held the Tuesday after Thanksgiving will be expanded through the whole month of December.

Pay it Forward During “Give to UC Merced” Monthlong Virtual Fundraiser

As a way to help students reach their academic goals, UC Merced is inviting campus supporters to virtually come together and take part in the “Give to UC Merced” initiative. For a...

Student Cathryn Flores poses in front of a University of California, Merced sign.

From Shakespeare to Music Awards Shows: UC Merced Undergrad Hits the Right Notes

This time around, what happened in Las Vegas will not stay there — at least for Cathryn Flores. The fourth-year undergraduate, who's working on a major in English and minor in writing,...

UC Merced Earns National Certification for Dedication to Latino Students

UC Merced’s commitment to the success of Latino students has been recognized with the prestigious Seal of Excelencia. The campus is among 10 institutions in the country to receive the...

Incoming freshman Kyle Chun (mechanical engineering), third-year Daniel Baerwaldt (chemistry) and first-year Alejandro Lopez-Vaca (engineering) in front of their presentation.

USDA-funded Internship Program Introduced New Bobcats to Agriculture Research

Shortly before the fall semester kicked off in person, 11 students were wrapping up their first summer on campus as part of the FACTS summer bridge program. FACTS stands for San Joaquin Valley...

UC Merced Admissions for California Freshmen, Underrepresented Students and Transfers on the Rise

Following an unprecedented year the University of California announced that its campuses made record-breaking admissions offers to the fall 2021 incoming class. On top of a record number of...

Brenda Carlos Aranda, a teacher at Farmdale Elementary School, earned her multiple subject credential at UC Merced.

¡Vamos!: First Cohort to Begin New Bilingual Authorized Teacher Prep Program

Nearly 1.2 million students in California are not native English speakers, many coming from Spanish-speaking households. Transitioning to an English-speaking classroom can be difficult for these...

Cows are Udderly Useful for Healthy Vegetation Management on Nature Reserve

Today is National Cow Appreciation Day, a “holiday” invented by a fast-food chain that sells a lot of "chikn." But it’s still a good opportunity to celebrate our neighbors...