Student Life

Commuter Student Finds Belonging at UC Merced

March 31, 2026

Most weekdays, civil engineering major Jacqueline Garcia travels 45 minutes each way from her hometown of Hughson to attend classes at UC Merced. “The perk is being able to pursue my undergraduate degree while still having a tie to home. It's been great having the campus here in the...

Campus Celebrates LGBT+ Culture During Pride Week

UC Merced’s Pride Week kicks off March 28. The weeklong celebration is hosted by Lambda Alliance and LGBTQ+ Initiatives in the Office of Student Life. It’s a collaborative effort to affirm the LGBT+...

Student-Athlete Takes Leadership to the National Level

Junior Sammantha Fajardo wasn’t satisfied with merely representing UC Merced on the cross country course, so she stepped up to represent the university’s student-athletes at the national level. In...

Students Can Catch Up, Save Up With Summer Session

Completing degree requirements in eight semesters can be challenging for many students. Add a minor, a job or a semester abroad, and students can easily find themselves playing catch-up. That’s why...

Campus to Expand Fraternities and Sororities in 2016

Strong interest combined with campus growth has triggered the Office of Student Life and the Fraternity and Sorority Council to add several social fraternity and sorority organizations in the coming...

Trailblazing Senior Sets Sights on Future Goals

In high school, Domonique Jones knew she wanted to go to college. She also knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Raised by her single mother in Hercules, Jones was the first in her family to consider and...

Love of Music Continues to Drive Alum’s Career in Social Media

Shavone Charles is combining her love of music and technology to blaze a new trail in social media. Charles graduated from UC Merced in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in Literature and Cultures,...

Busy Weekend Planned for Prospective Students, Families, Alumni

Each fall, UC Merced opens its doors to the community to show what takes place on a research university campus. During Preview Day — scheduled for Oct. 17 — UC Merced welcomes hundreds of high school...

Take a Stand Against Domestic Violence

To commemorate Domestic Violence Awareness Month, UC Merced’s Campus, Advocacy, Resources and Education (CARE) Office is hosting events throughout October. According to a survey by the National...

Despite Constraints, UC Merced Enrollment Continues to Grow

Enrollment at the University of California, Merced, this fall has climbed to another all-time high of 6,685 students — an increase of 6.7 percent over Fall 2014, according to headcount figures...