Campus Wraps Up a Year of Growth, Success

UC Merced's eventful 2016 included many milestones, from breaking ground on its Merced 2020 Project and making its debut on several national rankings lists, to exceeding charitable giving goals and making huge gains in research.

As the calendar year draws to a close, Panorama takes a look back at the campus's highlights:

Rankings

• UC Merced was named one of the best public universities in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The news magazine rated UC Merced No. 78 among public schools and No. 152 overall in the “National Universities” category, which evaluates major institutions with national reach, advanced degree programs and deep commitments to research.
• Washington Monthly's College Guide listed UC Merced as No. 8 in its “Best Bang for the Buck: Western Colleges” list — one spot behind Stanford University — highlighting colleges in the Western U.S. that excel at helping students from low-income families attain degrees at affordable prices.
• A week after being lauded by Washington Monthly, UC Merced was named one of the Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools” for its commitment to sustainability. The campus also was recognized as a top performer in the annual 2016 Sustainable Campus Index, tying for third with two other UC campuses for its sustainable investment practices. It was the second time UC Merced made the Index.

Research and Academics

• UC Merced made its first appearance in the highly cited Carnegie Classification of Institutes of Higher Education. The campus earning an R2 classification, the second-highest for American research universities.
• Professor Victor Muñoz received the respected Keck Award, which will provide $1 million over the next five years to advance biomedical research.
• A new Wide-Area Visualization Environment (WAVE) system — a half-pipe-shaped cluster of 4K, 3-D monitors that immerse users in virtual reality — debuted at UC Merced. The 20-screen system is part of the Pacific Research Platform, which connects the 10 UC campuses with other research universities to create a high-speed network for collaborative science and scholarship.
• A $500,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will create a humanities-based expansion of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Center and serve 60 students over three years.
• UC Merced honored Anita Hill as the 10th recipient of the Alice and Clifford Spendlove Prize in Social Justice, Diplomacy and Tolerance in October during a ceremony at the Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre.
• The campus also received $5 Million for a new Interdisciplinary Research Center; was named the UC's Drone Use Policy Hub; and saw Professor Michael Beman's oceanic ‘dead zone’ research earn the campus’s 13th CAREER Award.

Growth

• Student demand surges: In Fall 2016, the campus entered its 12th academic year with a record-breaking incoming class, signifying strong demand for the newest campus in the UC system. Earlier in the year, the campus reported a record 22,632 students sought admission to UC Merced — a 13.5 percent surge in total undergraduate applications for the 2016-17 academic year. It was the highest growth rate in the UC system.
• Physical growth: The campus broke ground on the Merced 2020 Project and the Downtown Campus Center, and saw the opening of Classroom and Office Building 2, which provides more classroom, tutorial and research lab space.

Student Success

• Several UC Merced students helped host President Barack Obama and the first family during their trip to Yosemite National Park in June.
• Quantitative and Systems graduate student Yuriana Aguilar made history by becoming UC Merced’s first undocumented Ph.D. recipient.
• In March, UC Merced women's basketball team won its second consecutive Cal-Pac Conference championship.

Charitable Giving/Philanthropy

• In July, the university received land near campus worth nearly $10 million, the second-largest donation ever made to UC Merced.
• UC Merced’s third annual Giving Tuesday campaign exceeded its fundraising goal, raising more than $700,000. The 24-hour drive for student support funds took place last month with one fellowship and 13 scholarship funds eligible for a 3-to-1 match from Wells Fargo and Foster Poultry Farms.