Alyssa Johansen

UC Merced will honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by hosting a day of action, inviting the campus and community to serve together on Monday, Jan. 19.

In keeping with King’s call to build a “beloved community,” UC Merced’s Community Engagement Center is inviting students, staff, faculty and alumni to participate in a range of service projects throughout Merced and beyond as part of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

UC Merced has once again been recognized as a national leader in community-engaged scholarship. The 2026 Carnegie Elective Classification for Community Engagement affirms the university’s deep and expanding commitment to serving the public.

UC Merced women's soccer star Trinidad Quiroz has signed with Necaxa Femenil of Liga BBVA MX Femenil. Quiroz is the first Bobcat to sign a contract with the highest level of women's football in Mexico.

The forward from San Jose, Calif., is a two-time NAIA All-American and she earned All-CCAA First Team honors this past fall following the Bobcats first season in NCAA Division II.

Hundreds of UC Merced students will be celebrated this weekend at the university’s fall commencement ceremonies in downtown Merced. Nearly 400 undergraduate students and 40 Graduate Division students are set to cross the stage in the Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre during three ceremonies.

The University of California, Merced today announced the largest philanthropic gift in its history, an extraordinary new commitment from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This transformational investment, Ms. Scott’s second major gift to UC Merced, underscores growing national recognition of UC Merced’s rapid ascent as one of the nation’s most innovative public research universities and a leader in access and opportunity, student success, and social mobility.

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.

November marks Native American Heritage Month — a time to celebrate, honor and amplify Indigenous traditions and histories. At UC Merced, the student-led Native and Indigenous Student Coalition has become a powerful source of community and cultural pride since its founding in 2012.

UC Merced was recognized again as a national leader in sustainability, earning a perfect Green Rating score and ranking No. 7 in the nation on The Princeton Review’s 2025 list of Top 50 Green Colleges.

The ranking highlights universities that set the standard for environmental stewardship through sustainable operations, curriculum and community engagement. UC Merced’s perfect score underscores its deep commitment to sustainability – from its zero net energy goals to its emphasis on preparing students to lead in a greener global economy.

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.