A new partnership between Reedley College and UC Merced is designed to expand opportunities for students to remain in the Central Valley and seamlessly transfer after completing their community college studies.

Frida Quinto Ruiz went to Sweden with a curious mind. She came home with a plan.

"Studying abroad completely reshaped the direction of my college career in ways I never expected," she said. "I went to Sweden already curious about the world, but I came back with a much clearer sense of where I want to go."

During a tour of the European Union in Brussels, Quinto Ruiz learned about the Fulbright Binational Business Program. The fourth-year economics major applied to the program and recently interviewed to join it after she graduates in May.

UC Merced’s Division of Equity, Justice, and Inclusive Excellence will bring campus and community together Saturday, March 21 for the annual Toloma 5K, a morning run and walk that celebrates Native heritage, community connection and the relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land.

The run/walk begins at 8 a.m. at the UC Merced practice field next to the soccer field. Check-in, bib pickup and race-day registration will run from 7 to 8 a.m. at the same location. Free parking will be available in the Bellevue Lot, and strollers are welcome.

UC Merced has been recognized on Newsweek’s inaugural America’s Best Colleges for Women 2026 list, a national ranking designed to spotlight institutions that support, advance and elevate women across campus and beyond.

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.

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.

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.

UC Merced has long been a place where students can thrive.

Now the university has been recognized for its commitment to increase the abundance of native and other pollinators.

The campus has become an affiliate of the Bee Campus USA program, joining other cities and campuses across the country in a united effort to improve their landscapes for pollinators.

The beat of drums and the scent of cedar filled UC Merced’s Conference Center as acclaimed chef, author and activist Sean Sherman shared stories of tradition, resilience and culinary innovation during “Flavors & Stories: A Fireside Chat with the Sioux Chef.”

The New York Times bestselling author and founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) engaged the audience in a conversation about his journey to revitalize Indigenous cuisine and reconnect communities with the ingredients and methods that sustained their ancestors for generations.

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best Colleges in the U.S., the highly respected media outlet has named UC Merced the 14th best college in the nation.