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...

UC Merced Announces Fall Commencement Speakers: Ted Mitchell and Keith Alley

Ahead of UC Merced's 2023 Fall Commencement, the ceremony keynote speakers have been selected. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, will speak at the...

Give to UC Merced 2023 Invites Campus and Community to Help Create Lasting Impact

After Thanksgiving wraps up, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday take hold of many people's time, attention and dollars. However, there is another day of opportunity —...

New Collaborations Designed to Increase Access to Data Science for All Students

UC Merced is part of several new initiatives aimed at increasing the accessibility and inclusivity of data science studies and opening new opportunities for historically underserved students after...

1300 Campaign Summit Highlights Progress, Plans for Sending More Men of Color to College

It's been more than a year since UC Merced joined the 1300 Campaign partnership, continuing its efforts to help students of color attend and succeed at four-year universities. Now it's...

Veterans Upward Bound Program to Provide Wraparound Support for Servicemembers

Veterans with aspirations to pursue higher education will have access to new resources and support through the Veterans Upward Bound Program at UC Merced. This year, the university was selected as...

First-Generation Students Offer Advice for Those Who Come Next

Nearly 65 percent of UC Merced's undergraduate students are the first in their families to go to college. Being a college student of any kind can be a thrilling, confusing, challenging, exciting...

Ed and Jeanne Kashian Give $5 Million to Support Medical Education at UC Merced

Ed and Jeanne Kashian, longtime UC Merced donors who have supported the campus since its earliest days, have made a $5 million gift to advance the university's medical education efforts....

Campus and Academic Growth Highlighted in UC Merced State of the University Address

Distinguished rankings, new academic offerings, world-class research and campus expansions were among the highlights of the UC Merced State of the University address delivered by Chancellor Juan...

Anne Zanzucchi leads a discussion of rhetoric in a writing class at UC Merced.

UC Merced Launches First Writing Studies Major Cohort

Writing is still the most important, and most-used, form of communication in the world. "Writing is crucial in that it's both a product and a process. It's in the fabric of what we do...