In The Community

The University of California, Merced, continues to pave the way to success for local high school students. The campus announced the expansion of the Merced Automatic Admission Program (MAAP) for students at Dinuba Unified School District (DUSD).

The new partnership will allow students with a weighted GPA of 3.5 with no grade lower than a “C” to be automatically admitted to UC Merced through a streamlined admissions process.

As part of her goal to give back to her alma mater as well as the San Jose community that supported and fostered her growth, UC Merced alumna Nohely Aguilar (’12) has established a scholarship to assist students who follow in her footsteps.

The Nohely Aguilar Scholarship Fund will provide financial assistance to college-bound students who select the path from Mt. Pleasant High to UC Merced, the same as Aguilar’s academic journey.

Distinguished Professor Roland Winston was among the first eight faculty members at UC Merced in 2003, two years before the campus opened. When he retires July 1, at age 86, he will be the first of those eight to leave — but his work on solar energy applications will continue.

It's not hyperbolic to say Winston is a really big deal in the worlds of physics and solar energy.

The biannual School of Engineering showcase event, Innovate to Grow (I2G), continued in-person and virtually this spring. The event highlighted innovative engineering design projects that were developed by undergraduates in partnership with 36 industry and nonprofit clients.

The event began with a poster and prototype session that included 66 teams and 330 students showcasing their projects in the Joseph E. Gallo Recreation & Wellness Center.

For the first time, UC Merced has partnered with local higher education institutions for a two-day symposium dedicated to education research findings from the Central Valley.

UC Merced’s Office of Sustainability’s Bobcat Eats Food Waste Awareness and Prevention Program, in partnership with United Way of Merced, Community Initiatives 4 Collective Impact and the 18th St. People’s Garden, has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle.)

As a first-generation Latina, Linda Barreto says she understands the importance of perseverance and determination to prevail in life. It’s a mindset that has led her to become the youngest and first Latina in Fresno County to pass the California Legal Specialist Exam in Immigration Law.

The Legal Specialist Examination consists of eight short essay questions and 75 multiple-choice questions and tests whether an attorney has a proficient understanding of the fundamental laws, rules and procedures applicable to that area of law.

Innovate to Grow (I2G), the biannual showcase of innovative engineering design projects developed in partnership with industry and nonprofit partners, continues in-person and virtually this spring 2022 semester.

“We are excited to have everyone back in person to share in this amazing event,” said Engineering Service Learning Director Chris Butler. “This will be our largest event ever. We have 66 teams and more than 300 students showcasing their projects.”

The UC Merced Community and Labor Center (CLC) has received a historic multimillion-dollar award to continue its mission of conducting research and educating the public about low-wage work, immigrant and workers' rights, workplace health and safety, among other issues.

UC Merced continues to pave the way to success for students of color to thrive at a four-year college. To continue to support these efforts, the campus, in collaboration with Stanislaus State, announced the expansion of the 1300 Campaign, an initiative aimed to send an additional 1,300 young people of color into the UC and California State University (CSU) systems by 2030

The 1300 Campaign will focus on high school students in the Northern Central Valley, including the areas of Modesto, Merced and San Joaquin counties.