Academics

UC Merced is rapidly rising among the nation’s top universities, as evidenced by the campus’s growing number of appearances on national and statewide “best schools” lists. As the campus celebrates its 10th anniversary this year and looks toward its next phase of growth, at least four revealing references have been noted from various sources.

Two recent accolades pertain to the practical value of a UC Merced education.

UC Merced is one of nearly 150 public and private sector organizations who answered the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics’ 25th anniversary call to action.

Current and prospective graduate students have new degree options at UC Merced, which recently received approval from the UC system and the WASC Senior College and University Commission for both master’s and doctoral degrees in sociology.

UC Merced has been identified by Best Colleges as one of the country’s top 50 campuses where students have the most opportunity to interact with different ethnicities, ranking No. 12.

UC Merced is the most ethnically and culturally diverse student body among all University of California campuses.

Enrollment at the University of California, Merced, this fall has climbed to another all-time high of 6,685 students — an increase of 6.7 percent over Fall 2014, according to headcount figures compiled during the third week of instruction.

College can be intimidating — new classes, new people, new responsibilities, and that’s before you even get to the coursework itself. For some, the transition can be difficult.

UC Merced’s Peer Assisted Learning Support (PALS) makes it a little easier for students who might feel intimidated approaching professors about their struggles in a given course. The learning sessions match trained student tutors with other students, and they cover many subjects. 

Ten years ago, the University of California, Merced, opened its doors with 875 students, a handful of permanent buildings and high hopes for the first new UC campus in 40 years — and the first ever in the San Joaquin Valley.

Today, UC Merced enters its second decade of operation with a new high in student enrollment, a $1 billion expansion proposal in advanced stages of development, and a freshly minted strategic plan that promises to accelerate the university’s quest for academic and research distinction.

A new grant from the U.S. Department of Education will help the University of California, Merced, establish important support services for first-generation and low-income students who have yet to declare a major.

The grant, totaling $1.09 million over five years, will launch the Strengthening Talents and Exploring Pathways (STEP) program. STEP will be part of the Calvin E. Bright Success Center’s existing Fiat Lux program, which serves underrepresented students at UC Merced.