To mark UC Merced’s entry into National Collegiate Athletics Association NCAA Division II competition, the university is launching the Bobcat Club – an initiative designed to support scholar-athletes and the campus’s elevated level of intercollegiate sports.
For more than 1,300 Central Valley students, this summer break wasn’t all about fun — it included strengthening their math and science skills to prepare them for the new school year and beyond.
UC Merced’s Center for Educational Partnerships offered a wealth of summer programming led by its three offices: K-20 Regional Alliances, State College Preparatory Programs and K-14 Federal Programs.
This is the final entry of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2025 semester.
Adriana Ponce Mata spent the last two summers working in one of the largest and oldest companies in the Bay Area. This fall, she joins UC Merced to begin her next chapter. Through Project SEED, she gained hands-on research experience testing fuels in an oil refinery, sparking her passion for science and helping others.
Before the first walls were raised or walkways paved, UC Merced existed as an idea on paper. The vision consisted of a campus master plan, detailed architectural designs and artistic renderings that illustrated a bold vision for a university at the heart of California’s Central Valley.
The Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) at UC Merced is preparing to launch its long-envisioned distinguished speaker series on Oct. 6 with a visit from David Kaplan, a Tufts University professor internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in bioengineering.
UC Merced Arts has announced its 2025-26 season of performances, exhibitions and public art programs, beginning with the return of East L.A.’s electrifying band Las Cafeteras.
The band’s Día de los Muertos-themed production, “Hasta La Muerte,” comes to Merced on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Art Kamangar Center at The Merced Theatre. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.
In an unprecedented show of unity, leaders from Merced City School District, Merced Union High School District, Merced College and UC Merced came together to discuss how continued collaboration can transform education and opportunities across the region.
The UC Merced Foundation has named Stephanie Gallo, chief marketing officer at GALLO, to its Board of Trustees. A respected community leader and seasoned executive, Gallo brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to advancing educational initiatives and regional innovation.
As CMO of GALLO — the world’s largest family-owned winery, co-founded by her grandfather, Ernest, and great uncle, Julio — Gallo oversees the global management and strategic direction of the company’s brand portfolio.
Community leader and Creekside Company co-owner Jay Mahil has been named to the UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees.
A fourth-generation farmer and the first in his family born in the United States, Mahil grew up in Lodi and is a longtime Fresno resident. After graduating from Lodi High School and Fresno State, he joined his family’s farming business, playing a key role in its modernization and expansion across the region.
When UC Merced launches Give to UC Merced 2025 on Dec. 2, it won’t just be about one day of giving; the month-long campaign will be about hope, opportunity and community impact.
For the 12th year, the campus joins the global Giving Tuesday movement, inviting donors to power change through the university’s UC Merced Fund. Contributions to Give to UC Merced will support the campus’s greatest needs, ensuring UC Merced has the flexibility to fund emerging opportunities, expand programs and student support initiatives, and assist promising scholars with direct financial assistance.
