Undergraduate Students

First-generation Students Shine at UC Merced. This Week Celebrates Them

November 3, 2025

UC Merced Professor Rose Scott, student Narciso Martinez Solorio

More than six in 10 UC Merced undergraduates are the first in their families to attend a university. The national average for four-year universities is about two in 10. Opening doors to opportunity for first-generation students is infused into UC Merced’s DNA. Young people who had little...

Mechanical engineering major Arturo Ramirez Reyes holds a drone while sitting in a tractor.

Paid Internship Program Prepares Students for Success

When fourth-year public health major Rochelle Mulondo heard about UC Merced’s Student Success Internship (SSI) program, she jumped at the chance to apply and gain real-life work experience that...

Emergence, Extinction of Massive Ancient Shark to be Explored with NSF Grant

Forty million years after dinosaurs went extinct, one of the largest predators that ever prowled Earth’s oceans emerged, feeding the imaginations of modern scientists and the nightmares of...

Two students in white lab coats work in a chemistry lab.

$1.5M Grant Will Transform Chemistry Curriculum, Improve Access to STEM Careers

It’s a startling statistic: Nearly 30 percent of UC Merced students who start their college careers in the School of Natural Sciences (SNS) switch to majors outside the science, technology,...

An aerial video of individuals clad in blue formed in the shape of California, with a heart in the middle.

New Year Begins With New Students, Spaces and Programs

UC Merced began its 14th academic year today, welcoming new and returning students into new buildings. Students moving in this year are the first to experience the newest residence halls, Glacier...

Men’s Soccer Team Gaining in Recognition and Rankings

The University of California, Merced men's soccer team enters the season this week ranked No. 23 in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Top 25 Poll. The ranking marks the first time in program...

Four male students huddle around a computer as they work.

Student Success Internship Program Returns, Project Proposals Due Sept. 7

Campus departments and schools: Here’s a chance to get your projects off the ground while helping students gain valuable experience. The only cost is the time you invest with your interns....

A large group of people mingle in the main room of the Merced Multicultural Arts Center in Merced.

News and Notes: Downtown Welcomes UC Merced; Student Scores Taylor Farms Scholarship

Merced ‘DNA’ Hosts Meet and Greet UC Merced’s downtown neighbors rolled out the welcome mat last Thursday for a mixer with campus community members. Merced Mayor Mike Murphy,...

Summer programs offer younger students the opportunity to spend time on the UC Merced campus and learn subjects ranging from leadership to science and technology.

Summer Outreach Programs Foster Learning, Community

Taking part in a summer program can help students develop new skills, get hands-on experience, meet other students with similar interests and get a taste of college life. It’s also a plus on...

Bobcats Celebrate Freshman Phenom Athletes

Last fall, Turlock native Marcus DeCouto reminded the sports scene that UC Merced consistently brings some of the top freshmen to the California Pacific Conference. DeCouto, now a sophomore...