Alyssa Johansen

At an intimate gathering of supporters, UC Merced awarded former Gov. Gray Davis the Chancellor’s Medal — the university’s highest honor — in recognition of his instrumental role in bringing the 10th University of California campus to Merced.

The medal was presented recently during a special evening marking UC Merced’s 20th anniversary year, celebrating two decades since the campus opened its doors to undergraduate students.

Black History Month often honors familiar names, leaders whose courage and determination changed the course of a nation. But many others have made groundbreaking contributions that exposed injustice, advanced civil rights, reshaped American culture and revolutionized technology. Their achievements and efforts were met with threats, ignorance and suppression. Some had soaring potential cut short by mortal illness.

The stethoscopes may come later, but the commitment to community was clear as UC Merced welcomed its newest SJV PRIME+ students last weekend. The Student and Family Welcome event marked the beginning of an eight-year journey for 15 students who will progress from bachelor’s degrees at UC Merced to medical degrees from the UCSF School of Medicine, and complete clinical training at UCSF Fresno — all with a shared mission to strengthen health care in the San Joaquin Valley. 

Each spring, master’s and doctoral students across UC Merced’s 18 graduate groups are invited to contend in the campus’s Grad Slam Finals. They are given three minutes and one visual slide to present their research to a panel of non-specialist judges.

This year’s competition will take place during Research Week on Wednesday, March 12, in the Dr. Vikram and Priya Lakireddy Grand Ballroom in the Conference Center.

UC Merced-led WE Will! Workforce and Education Collaborative has awarded an additional $4.2 million to education and healthcare partners in Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.

A total of 21 health care and education projects focusing on "recovery with equity" initiatives received funding in the second round.

A significant grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will advance UC Merced's efforts to create a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of college readiness among high-school students in the San Joaquin Valley, particularly those from underrepresented and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds.

At their Nov. 15 meeting, the Regents of the University of California gave final approval for the construction of a new medical education building at UC Merced. The vote approved the final design, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) findings and the full budget and financing.

Cognitive Science Professor Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz has a passion for biliteracy that has driven her to improve the quality of learning in both English and Spanish at schools in Texas and Central California.

A $3 million National Professional Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education funded her work in the small Merced County town of Livingston. This summer, she worked with Livingston Unified School District teachers interested in developing their biliteracy knowledge and teaching practices.