As a graduate student at UC Merced, Jordan Galloway looks for ways to push himself forward and lead by example.
The third-year Chemistry and Chemical Biology student forged a new path last summer through a fellowship in the nuclear science and technology division of Idaho National Laboratory.
“It was a great opportunity,” Galloway said. “I met a lot of good people and, overall, I was able to learn a great deal.”
Jaapna Dhillon had no idea that studying how almonds affect health would win her a huge advantage in securing a tenure-track position.
But Dhillon just became UC Merced’s first postdoctoral researcher to receive a Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
UC Merced’s exuberant spring graduates got the chance to demonstrate their gratitude during the 13th Spring Commencement ceremonies this weekend as many of them paused to thank the faculty members and loved ones who helped them through their college journeys.
During the two ceremonies, UC Merced graduated more than 1,200 students, conferring 1,151 bachelor’s degrees, 18 master’s degrees and a record 49 doctoral degrees.
This weekend, 1,250 UC Merced undergraduate and graduate students, including 52 doctoral candidates — the most in the campus’s 12-year history — are expected to cross the commencement stage and embark on the next chapter of their lives.
“Commencement is the culmination of years of determination and is an exciting time for graduates and their families,” Chancellor Dorothy Leland said. “We are thrilled to celebrate the courage, commitment and spirit of UC Merced students.”
When Mario Banuelos was 12, his mother took him into the fields to tie grape vines.
The labor was tough and the wages were meager. After just one day on the job, Banuelos knew that his path in life would be different. He worked even harder in school and earned nearly straight As. His efforts paid off when he was selected for the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholars program.
When prospective student-athletes visit UC Merced, soccer standout Abbie-Leigh Meneses is among the first people they meet.
Not long ago, Meneses was a recruit herself, touring the University of California’s 10th and newest campus. She fell in love with UC Merced and its central location within driving distance to Yosemite National Park and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The University of California, Merced, has selected political commentator and public affairs professional Maria Cardona and civic leader and entrepreneur Lenny Mendonca to deliver keynote addresses at its 13th commencement exercises, May 12 and 13.
UC Merced alumnus Michael Urner is one of five finalists in the University of California new “I am a UC Entrepreneur” contest.
Urner was selected from a pool of 169 contestants — representing all 10 UC campuses — for his innovation and creativity in co-founding Tergis Technologies, a company developing new medical devices to reduce the number of hospital-acquired infections.
