Diversity & Inclusion

Hundreds of students representing all nine University of California undergraduate campuses will descend upon Merced this weekend for the annual Student of Color Conference.

The conference is sponsored by the University of California Student Association (UCSA) - the official voice of students from across the UC system. Organizers say the conference's mission is for students of color to come together and share their experiences to better identify targeted advocacy among different identity groups.

2023 was a remarkable year in which UC Merced experienced tremendous growth and acclaim. Several milestones were reached, setting up the university to continue thriving in the near future and beyond. As we embark on a new year, here's a look back at the stories that shaped 2023.

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 graduation.

New grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) and the California Learning Lab are funding collaborations with a sister campus and several community colleges as well as the Joint Genome Institute (JGI) to accomplish these goals.

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 time for a review and a look ahead.

UC Merced has been designated a Fulbright Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) Leader for 2023 by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Each year, the ECA recognizes the strong engagement of select HSIs within the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government's flagship international academic exchange program.

Ahead of Native American Heritage Month, the Toloma 5K will return to UC Merced on Saturday, Oct. 28 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event has been held since 2021, and not only raises money for Native American activities on campus but preserves tradition while acknowledging the campus's location on Yokut and Miwuk land.

Although there has been a lot of talk this summer about paleoecology Professor Sora Kim’s research on the now-extinct megalodon shark, there is another focus to her work: BAJEDI, or belonging, access, justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded Kim and collaborators at UCLA and UC Davis a grant to assess and improve how and where the UC system supports women of color in the geosciences (WinG).

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 Sánchez Muñoz.

"The state of this 20-year-old institution is unparalleled in the history of American higher education," said Muñoz. "And now I would like to invite you to join me in imagining an even more impactful future for our campus, faculty, staff and students."

UC Merced has received the 2023 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

As a recipient of the annual HEED Award - a national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion - UC Merced will be featured, along with 107 other recipients, in the November/December 2023 issue of the magazine.

Physiology Professor Rudy M.Ortiz has been named a Fellow in this year's cohort of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities’ Leadership Academy (La Academia de Liderazgo).

The program is designed to increase diverse representation in executive and senior-level positions in higher education.