Brenda Ortiz

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.”

The odds of Tomanik’e Banks graduating from college were slim — only slightly lower than the odds she’d go to college at all.

But Banks had one thing going for her that many others don’t. Determination.

When Banks crosses the commencement stage May 12, she’ll be one of only about 3 percent of foster youth to graduate from college.

At the 14th annual UC Merced Leadership Awards, undergraduate and graduate students, faculty advisors and student organizations were celebrated Hollywood style — complete with cameras, lights and a “red carpet” entrance — for their service to the campus community and beyond.

More than 3,700 individuals visited UC Merced last Saturday during the campus’s annual Bobcat Day — a 26 percent increase over 2017 and more than any previous year.

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.

Kimberly Ramirez Gonzalez has been advocating for youth for four years and she is committed to dedicating the rest of her life to doing so.

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.

Starting and navigating the career-planning process can be daunting for any college student, but especially for those who will be the first in their families to graduate from college.

UC Merced has a new Sustainability Strategic Plan to help the campus further advance its sustainability goals.