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...

Bobcat Art Show Highlights Campus Talent

UC Merced artists are sharing their best work this semester in the eighth annual Bobcat Art Show. The exhibit runs from April 1 to May 2 and entries can be seen at the Leo and Dottie Kolligian...

Campus Community Service Officers Get Jobs and Much More

A couple years ago, Alejandra Vazquez signed up to be a community service officer on the UC Merced campus. She thought she was just taking an interesting job, but for her and others, the experience...

Russian Student Gives U.S. a Second Chance, Finds Niche at UC Merced

Vadim Gassiy was in eighth grade when his mother encouraged him to leave Russia for a taste of American life, culture and education. But the small town of Niceville, Fla. proved too sharp a contrast...

Center Promotes Student Self-sufficiency

Students who visit the UC Merced Students First Center (SFC) in the lobby of the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library will see it’s different from other student services offices. For one thing, the...

Founders Day Events Highlight Campus's First 10 Years

UC Merced will commemorate the 10th anniversary of its groundbreaking with a series of Founders Day events Oct. 25 through 27. Several events throughout the three-day celebration will recognize...

Robotics Society Navigates Uncharted Courses

Sometimes, all you need is a little push, even if it comes from a mechanical arm. That was the case with the UC Merced Robotics Society, which began in 2008 but languished after its founders...

New Women’s Soccer Team Kicks Off With Home Opener in September

UC Merced’s first NAIA women’s soccer team is going to have a short season – five home games and nine away games. That’s by design. New head coach Megan Atoigue said this is the time to set the...

Yosemite Leadership Program Coordinator to Expand Its Profile

The UC Merced Yosemite Leadership Program’s first full-time leader plans to build on the program’s momentum and expand its visibility. Jacob Croasdale was recently selected to oversee the 3-year-old...

First Group of Recruited Student Athletes Hitting the Courts as Women's Volleyball Team Kicks Off Season

Nine new members of this year’s UC Merced Women’s Volleyball team, from all around the Central Valley, are among the campus’s first group of recruited student athletes. They began practice and...