Student & Alumni Success

merced theatres art kamangar center photo

UC Merced Ranked No. 1 in the Nation for Social Mobility, No. 18 Overall

When it comes to changing the lives of its students, UC Merced is second to none.

In the latest Wall Street Journal America's Best Colleges rankings, UC Merced was the No. 1 university in the nation for social mobility — a term used to describe how well colleges and universities attract, retain and help students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds complete their degrees and graduate into promising careers.

Researchers Discover Mechanism that Could Control Longevity, Cancer Cell Production

Researchers at UC Merced used fruit flies to uncover a cellular process common to many organisms that could dramatically impact the understanding of cancer and aging.

It’s a ‘Welcome’ Party at UC Merced Scholars Bridge Crossing

UC Merced said “welcome” to its 2,400 new students Tuesday as only UC Merced can, with a joyous and colorful Scholars Bridge Crossing ceremony that symbolizes their transformation into Bobcats at the San Joaquin Valley’s only research university.

Hundreds of those first-year or transfer students gathered in yellow T-shirts on the lawn next to the Pavilion dining hall in preparation for the crossing.

Students Spend Summer Learning about Stem Cells

A diverse group of students participated in a stem cell training pilot program at UC Merced this summer.

It was the second summer for the Training Undergrads in Stem Cell Engineering and Biology (TUSCEB) program, funded through the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). It's a collaborative effort between the schools of Natural Sciences and Engineering led by professors Kara McCloskey and Jennifer Manilay and serviced through the university's Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI).

Political Science Students Take on Lawmaking and Lobbying at the State Capitol

UC Merced political science students returned to Sacramento to get first-hand experience at California’s Capitol with internships.

Central Coast Student Brings Flair for Robotics to UC Merced

 

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

After diving into robotics in high school, Antonio "Tony" Lopez-Blanco is eager to attend UC Merced in pursuit of a career that reaches for the sky. Lopez says he is “ready to learn, ready to work and ready to have fun.”

Fulbright Award Sends Physics Grad Student to France for Quantum Research

Persistence has paid off for UC Merced doctoral candidate Arabi Seshappan.

The graduate student from Fremont, about to start her sixth year, was selected for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program's Fulbright-Université Paris-Saclay Doctoral Research Award, which is only granted to three U.S. students each year.

Honor Student Gives UC Merced a New 'Cat to Cheer About

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

Jenna Hinds, a Central Valley native, is bringing spirit to UC Merced. Hinds discovered a passion for cheerleading as a senior in high school. After participating in UC Merced tryouts, will join the university cheer team’s elite squad this fall.

Where I come from: I’m from Stevinson and I graduated from Turlock Christian High School.

Lexi Wright Scores Goals on the Soccer Field and in the Classroom

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

Alexis “Lexi” Wright gives her all, excelling in school and on the soccer field. A transfer from Saddleback Community College in Orange County, Wright also spent a year at San Francisco State helping knock out the prerequisites for attending UC Merced.

If you're looking for someone to make a late-night sushi run with and teach you the finer points of sudoku, Lexi might be your new best friend.

From Bakersfield to a ‘Peaceful’ Place to Pursue Science, Medicine

 

This is part of a series of profiles of new UC Merced Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

San Joaquin Valley native Anmol Kaur is well on her way to making a splash in the worlds of science and medicine. The Bakersfield resident, coming to UC Merced as a first-year student, parlayed strong experiences in high school into a slot in the second SJV PRIME+ medical education cohort.

Kaur is poised to follow a path taken by her parents, who both have careers in medicine.