Medical education at UC Merced is expanding at a rapid pace as part of the campus’ long-term goal to address the shortage of physicians and health care professionals in the Central Valley.
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.
UC Merced will begin Division II competition after official acceptance Thursday by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). The university will begin NCAA Division II competition in the 2025-26 academic year and will be fully eligible for postseason in 2026-27.
Nine of the Bobcats’ 12 intercollegiate varsity programs will compete in the CCCA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) conference. Men’s and women’s water polo will join the Western Water Polo Association. Men’s volleyball is applying for membership in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
UC Merced will begin Division II competition after official acceptance Thursday by the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). The university will begin NCAA Division II competition in the 2025-26 academic year and will be fully eligible for postseason in 2026-27.
Nine of the Bobcats’ 12 intercollegiate varsity programs will compete in the CCCA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) conference. Men’s and women’s water polo will join the Western Water Polo Association. Men’s volleyball is applying for membership in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Prospective transitional kindergarten teachers have a new opportunity to jump-start their careers through the newly launched University of California Transitional Kindergarten Residency Program.
Residents who partake in the program can earn their multiple subject credentials, complete 24 units in early childhood education and be placed in a regional transitional kindergarten (TK) worksite in Merced County, Los Angeles County or the San Francisco Bay Area. The one-year accelerated program begins this fall. There are 60 seats available - 20 at each location.
The WE Will! Education and Workforce Collaborative, spearheaded by UC Merced and composed of partners from Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, has awarded $10.6 million to community and education partners in the tri-county region.
Recipients applied for funding with projects aligned to the collaborative goals of WE Will! including equity for all students, developing clear pathways that cut through barriers and addressing silos that delay entry into the workforce.
WE Will! partners awarded funding in this round of subawards include:
Chef Ed Porter, winner of Guy Fieri’s Grocery Games who was featured on the hit Netflix series “Pressure Cooker,” visited campus on April 11 for a takeover of the Yablokoff-Wallace Dining Center.
In collaboration with UC Merced’s Dining Services and executive chefs Mitchell Vanagten and Anthony Pangelina, Porter spent two days visiting the farms participating in UC Merced’s local BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) Produce Buying Program, culminating in an exclusive dining experience for the campus community.
A tree planting ceremony was held on campus to commemorate Arbor Day 2024. Various campus groups planted and dedicated 14 trees, each type representing a different tenet of the university. Volunteers planted olive trees to symbolize peace and hope, red maple trees to symbolize vibrancy and endurance and oak trees to symbolize strength and resilience.
UC Merced will host incoming students, their families and friends on Saturday, April 20, for Bobcat Day - the university's annual open house.
Bobcat Day will begin at 9:15 a.m. with a welcome message from Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz at University Plaza. Campus staff, faculty, students and alumni will be available throughout the day to answer questions about clubs and student organizations, summer session, Greek life, cultural groups, athletics, academics, health promotions, the UC Merced Police Department and more.
UC Merced has partnered with two California community colleges to further extend access to students transferring to a four-year university. In April, ceremonies were held to sign agreements with Madera Community College and Las Positas College.
By signing the Madera Promise and Las Positas Promise agreements, the institutions give respective students attending Madera Community College and Las Positas College a streamlined pathway to transfer to UC Merced.
