Students

An elementary school field trip to UC Merced sealed the deal for Rajanae Jenkins. The sixth-grader liked its newly minted buildings and the easy drive from her Fresno home.

Fast-forward more than six years. Jenkins is gathered with nearly 2,400 first-year or transfer students for UC Merced's Scholars Bridge Crossing. She is majoring in biology. She has already seen many familiar faces.

"This was literally my only choice," she said.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming students for fall 2022 — a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Isabella Mitchell knew she wanted to move away from Lynwood after graduation in an effort to explore California. After attending UC Merced's annual admitted student open house event in April, the 18-year-old was convinced to call the university home for the next four years.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming students for fall 2022 — a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Robert St. Martin is proud of having been able to balance his studies, extracurricular activities and social life during his four years at Rancho Buena Vista High School in San Diego County. Several Advanced Placement courses and the marching and concert bands kept him busy.

As he prepares to start his journey at UC Merced this month, he knows the juggling act as a Bobcat will help mold him to go even further.

College Track recently held a retreat at UC Merced that brought almost 200 staff members from all over the country to the site to "reflect, renew and rise together."

Starting this fall, undergraduates interested in the biomedical sciences will have an opportunity to take part in a new and innovative training program that will give them strong foundations in computational biology, systems biology and big data analytics.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming first-year students for fall 2022 — a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Lizet Martin-Martinez might not have had any family role models for her college career, but she has no problem kicking obstacles out of her way to reach her bright future.

Her father trained in martial arts when he was young and encouraged her to do the same so she could take care of herself. She has been studying martial arts for the past four years and is now a first-degree black belt.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming students for fall 2022 — a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Narciso Martinez Solorio applied to 31 colleges and universities, including UCs and Ivy League schools. After being accepted to most of them and thinking about his future, the Merced resident decided UC Merced is the perfect fit for him to continue his education in the fall.

"I want to experience something different. I want to be part of a growing university, and the moment I first visited the campus I knew I would fit in easily," he said.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming first-year students for fall 2022 — a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Jordynn Lewis is excited to start her journey as a UC Merced Bobcat when the fall semester begins in August. The first-year student recently graduated from Holy Names High School in her hometown of Oakland.

The state budget passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom promises tens of millions of dollars for UC Merced to build the next generation of world-class programs and facilities.

The budget appropriates new funding for campus expansion, climate-related initiatives, the university's Community and Labor Center and a potential housing partnership.

UC Merced is highlighting incoming first-year students for fall 2022 - a dynamic, diverse and accomplished cohort of new Bobcats.

Christian Boyd is ready for the next chapter of his life. The recent graduate of Brío College Prep in Los Angeles is leaving Southern California and joining his fellow Bobcats this fall as part of the Class of 2026.

"I chose to attend UC Merced because of the quiet rural atmosphere, a stark contrast from the harsh streets of downtown LA," he said.