"We're still alive. We're still here. This history lives on in us."
For author and artist Gayle Romasanta, the story of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong is both a reflection of and a tribute to the Central Valley communities that raised him and the families who still call the region home.
UC Merced and the Kern High School District have partnered to provide eligible students with a clear pathway to guaranteed admission to the university through the Merced Automatic Admission Program, or MAAP.
The partnership was announced during a KHSD Board of Trustees meeting, where UC Merced leaders outlined the program and the admission and scholarship opportunities available to participating students. KHSD is one of 51 school districts across California connecting eligible students with UC Merced through MAAP.
UC Merced Arts has announced its season of concerts, exhibitions, festivals and programs, beginning with the Merced Symphony's annual Side-by-Side Concert.
UC Merced Arts has announced its season of concerts, exhibitions, festivals and programs, beginning with the Merced Symphony's annual Side-by-Side Concert.
In recognition of its growing national reputation, UC Merced has been named the 30th best public university in the country by U.S. News & World Report. The announcement was made today as part of USNWR’s 2027 Best Colleges list, the esteemed annual report that tabulates more than 1,700 public and private colleges and universities.
The university also ranked No. 4 for social mobility, placing it among the nation's best institutions for helping students from all backgrounds achieve greater economic success.
UC Merced is expanding its Merced Automatic Admission Program (MAAP) to students in Shasta County, creating a direct pathway for eligible students to secure guaranteed admission.
Through new agreements with Shasta Union High School District and Fall River Joint Unified School District, students who meet the program's academic requirements can receive an early guarantee of admission to UC Merced. Leaders from UC Merced and both districts formally signed the agreements during a ceremony in Redding.
UC Merced is deepening its investment in the fight against climate change, uniting scientific expertise across campus to help confront the effects of a changing planet.
Leading that effort is the Sierra Nevada Research Institute (SNRI), UC Merced's first Organized Research Unit, which has merged with the UC Merced Climate Institute to form the UC Merced Earth Institute, an organization dedicated to advancing research and sustainable solutions to the environmental and climate challenges facing communities and ecosystems.
UC Merced is welcoming the largest class in university history this fall, as record numbers of first-year and transfer students propel total enrollment to an all-time high of 9,647 students.
The university’s enrollment grew by 704 students, a nearly 8% increase from last fall. This surpasses the previous record of 9,148, set in Fall 2023.
Even more striking is the growth among new students. UC Merced welcomed 3,157 new students this fall — an increase of 748 students, or 31%, from last year’s 2,409. The previous record for new students was 2,678, set in Fall 2021.
Fueled by a $38 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott — her second to UC Merced and the largest single philanthropic gift in the university's history — and the sustained generosity of the Bobcat community, 2025-26 was UC Merced's strongest fundraising year on record.
The campus raised more than $68 million during the fiscal year, pushing Boldly Forward: The Campaign for UC Merced to nearly $180 million. The milestone nearly doubled the prior fundraising record of $36 million, set in 2022-23.
Five faculty members in the UC Merced School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts have been appointed to endowed chairs, recognizing their scholarship and contributions to research that serve underrepresented communities, advance human rights and shape the future of communications.
