To the Campus Community,
As we conclude another successful academic year, I want to reflect on the excellence our campus has demonstrated across academics, research, athletics, philanthropy, and community engagement.
In athletics, UC Merced completed its first full year competing in NCAA Division II, and the excitement surrounding our programs energized the entire campus community. Thrilling conference matchups and multiple sellout crowds elevated school spirit, strengthened pride in the Bobcat experience, and marked an important milestone in the growth and visibility of our university.
This year also marked the most successful fundraising year in university history. Alongside MacKenzie Scott’s historic $38 million investment in UC Merced, we remain on track to meet the ambitious $20 million fundraising goal I set for our twentieth anniversary year. This momentum reflects the confidence that alumni, donors, foundations, and partners place in our mission and future. It also included a $5 million gift from the Campos Foundation to support student opportunity and success, as well as a $3 million award from the Gates Foundation to help more students across the San Joaquin Valley successfully transition from high school to college and careers. Together, these investments will create lasting impact for generations of students and further strengthen UC Merced’s role as an engine of opportunity and innovation for the region.
Our faculty also continued to earn significant recognition for research that addresses society’s most pressing challenges. This spring, five UC Merced faculty members were among the inaugural recipients of the UC systemwide Early Career Faculty Research Excellence Awards, recognizing exceptional scholarship and creative activity across the University of California. Their work reflects both the breadth of academic excellence at UC Merced and our deep commitment to research that serves communities and advances the public good.
This spirit of innovation was also on display with the completion of construction on Project Nexus, California’s first solar canal pilot project. Developed through a groundbreaking public-private-academic partnership, the project demonstrates how research led at UC Merced can help address critical challenges related to clean energy, water conservation, and climate resilience.
Beyond these milestones, the spring semester brought opportunities to showcase UC Merced’s growing leadership and community impact.
We were honored to host the Council of UC Staff Assemblies during their visit to campus in March and to highlight the extraordinary contributions of our staff, whose dedication shapes the student experience and institutional success not only at UC Merced, but across the University of California system.
Our campus also welcomed students, educators, and community members for the “Together We Will” conference on March 8, an uplifting gathering of student-athletes focused on leadership, empowerment, and expanding opportunities for future generations across the Central Valley. Another inspiring moment came during the 11th Annual Young Women’s Conference, hosted by Merced City School District Superintendent Julianna Stocking and Dr. Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz. Hundreds of young students visited campus to engage with mentors, explore educational opportunities, and envision their futures, underscoring the importance of UC Merced as an anchor institution for the region.
We also welcomed more than 200 public, private, and nonprofit leaders to campus for the California Strategic Growth Council’s San Joaquin Valley Catalyst Convening to discuss collaborative solutions to regional climate, health, and housing issues.
Throughout the semester, I had the opportunity to engage with healthcare, business, and community leaders across the Valley and beyond, including speaking at the VA Central California Ignite and Inspire Leadership meeting, the Fresno Rotary, and the Merced County Association of Realtors. These conversations continue to strengthen partnerships that advance economic development, healthcare access, and educational opportunity throughout our region.
UC Merced continues to demonstrate what is possible when innovation, excellence, and opportunity come together in service of students and community. I look forward to all we will accomplish together in the year ahead.
With gratitude and pride,
Juan Sánchez Muñoz, Ph.D.
Chancellor
Image: Chancellor Muñoz standing with representatives from the Council of UC Staff Assemblies (CUCSA) winter meeting
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