Alyssa Johansen

When UC Merced launches Give to UC Merced 2025 on Dec. 2, it won’t just be about one day of giving; the month-long campaign will be about hope, opportunity and community impact.

For the 12th year, the campus joins the global Giving Tuesday movement, inviting donors to power change through the university’s UC Merced Fund. Contributions to Give to UC Merced will support the campus’s greatest needs, ensuring UC Merced has the flexibility to fund emerging opportunities, expand programs and student support initiatives, and assist promising scholars with direct financial assistance.

UC Merced was recognized again as a national leader in sustainability, earning a perfect Green Rating score and ranking No. 7 in the nation on The Princeton Review’s 2025 list of Top 50 Green Colleges.

The ranking highlights universities that set the standard for environmental stewardship through sustainable operations, curriculum and community engagement. UC Merced’s perfect score underscores its deep commitment to sustainability – from its zero net energy goals to its emphasis on preparing students to lead in a greener global economy.

The UC Merced Foundation has named Stephanie Gallo, chief marketing officer at GALLO, to its Board of Trustees. A respected community leader and seasoned executive, Gallo brings extensive experience and a strong commitment to advancing educational initiatives and regional innovation.

As CMO of GALLO — the world’s largest family-owned winery, co-founded by her grandfather, Ernest, and great uncle, Julio — Gallo oversees the global management and strategic direction of the company’s brand portfolio.

Community leader and Creekside Company co-owner Jay Mahil has been named to the UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees.

A fourth-generation farmer and the first in his family born in the United States, Mahil grew up in Lodi and is a longtime Fresno resident. After graduating from Lodi High School and Fresno State, he joined his family’s farming business, playing a key role in its modernization and expansion across the region.

In an unprecedented show of unity, leaders from Merced City School District, Merced Union High School District, Merced College and UC Merced came together to discuss how continued collaboration can transform education and opportunities across the region.

The beat of drums and the scent of cedar filled UC Merced’s Conference Center as acclaimed chef, author and activist Sean Sherman shared stories of tradition, resilience and culinary innovation during “Flavors & Stories: A Fireside Chat with the Sioux Chef.”

The New York Times bestselling author and founder of North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NATIFS) engaged the audience in a conversation about his journey to revitalize Indigenous cuisine and reconnect communities with the ingredients and methods that sustained their ancestors for generations.

UC Merced Arts has announced its 2025-26 season of performances, exhibitions and public art programs, beginning with the return of East L.A.’s electrifying band Las Cafeteras.

The band’s Día de los Muertos-themed production, “Hasta La Muerte,” comes to Merced on Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Art Kamangar Center at The Merced Theatre. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Following recognition as a Top 25 university by U.S. News & World Report, UC Merced has once again earned national acclaim, this time from the Wall Street Journal. In its 2026 report of the Best Colleges in the U.S., the highly respected media outlet has named UC Merced the 14th best college in the nation.

The Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) at UC Merced is preparing to launch its long-envisioned distinguished speaker series on Oct. 6 with a visit from David Kaplan, a Tufts University professor internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in bioengineering.

Before the first walls were raised or walkways paved, UC Merced existed as an idea on paper. The vision consisted of a campus master plan, detailed architectural designs and artistic renderings that illustrated a bold vision for a university at the heart of California’s Central Valley.