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...

Campus Pitches In for Day of Service

A day off meant a day of service for some UC Merced students and staff and faculty members who volunteered to help spruce up Luther Burbank Elementary School in Merced as part of the 2014 Martin...

Grant Helps Strengthen Transfer Student Experience

University life can be hard, and for transfer students, it often proves even more daunting. Studies have shown they typically have low rates of campus engagement and retention, and take longer to...

UC Merced Tells Madera Students: College is Attainable

For Melissa Ugaldes and many San Joaquin Valley high school students like her, a University of California education might not be an obvious option. That’s why leaders from UC Merced visited Madera...

UC Goes Social to Raise Scholarship Funds

The University of California today (Sept. 18) began Promise for Education, a six-week crowd-funding campaign to engage students, faculty, alumni, celebrities, businesses, politicians and supporters...

On-Campus Housing Accommodates 2,100 Students This Year

Although the UC Merced campus is entering its ninth academic year, the campus is still in a constant state of expansion. To fill a demand for more housing, the newest residence hall — Half Dome — was...

Management Major Takes Leadership Experience to South Africa

UC Merced senior Alexandra Hamilton is spending five months at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, studying global markets and business. Hamilton, a management major and San Diego native,...

Interactive Tour Provides Unique View of Campus

The best way to explore what UC Merced has to offer is to visit the campus and see it firsthand. However, for prospective students and their family members who can’t make the trip, there is a new...

Computer Major Looks Forward to Job at Microsoft

On his ﬁrst tour of UC Merced almost five years ago, Andy Luhrs decided the campus was the right place for him. “The tour guide made an impression,” said Luhrs, who is from Danville. “Everyone I...

UC Merced Sends Off Class of 2013 with Twin Ceremonies

This year isn’t the first time Maxine Umeh-Garcia has walked across the commencement stage at the University of California, Merced. She was part of the campus's graduating class in 2010. But this...