First-generation doctoral student Josiah Beharry made history in 2023 when he was chosen as the first student regent from UC Merced.
In addition to being the 50th student to serve on the Board of Regents that governs the University of California system, Beharry also is the first publicly identified undocumented DACA student to be named.
Born in Trinidad, he immigrated to the U.S. with his family at age 3 and was raised in Ventura.
As one of UC Merced’s first students, Josue “Josh” Franco seized the chance to help shape student government for future scholars on campus; now he has grasped a new opportunity on Capitol Hill.
The three-time alumnus (B.A. ’09, M.A. ’16, Ph.D. ’18) has been awarded the American Political Science Association’s Congressional Fellowship for 2024-25.
Second-year public health Ph.D. student Sarina Rodriguez was named as a Health Policy Research Scholar by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
A new state law will make a difference in accessing education for the dependents of disabled veterans in California, thanks to the initiative of UC Merced Interdisciplinary Humanities graduate student Karla Seijas.
