Brenda Ortiz

As a teenager in Merced, Marcus Shaw lived a life marked by poverty, poor choices and indifference to education.

The idea of college — especially at the new UC Merced campus — seemed like an opportunity for someone else. Yet on Dec. 16, Shaw will participate in the university’s first Fall Commencement ceremony and celebrate his dream of earning a Ph.D. in sociology.

Crediting UC Merced with much of his success, Shaw said the ceremony will be one of the biggest moments of his life.

During this year’s Give Tue UC Merced annual 24-hour campaign of giving, participants will have more options to which to direct their support, including a new fund that assists with the emerging and unique needs of student groups as the campus grows.

The annual day of giving at UC Merced — Give Tue UC Merced (#GiveTueUCM) — presents many opportunities for donors to help students and programs.

Every opportunity is equally worthwhile because #GiveTueUCM is ultimately about supporting student success, but everyone has their favorite causes.

During this year’s Give Tue UC Merced annual 24-hour campaign of giving, participants will have more options to which to direct their support, including a new fund that assists with the emerging and unique needs of student groups as the campus grows.

UC Merced is welcoming back its first alumni keynote speaker, Shavone Charles, to address December 2017 graduates at its first Fall Commencement ceremony on Dec. 16.

Started in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) is observed in October across the nation. UC Merced’s Campus Advocacy, Resources and Education (CARE) Office is hosting events and programs to help raise awareness and support prevention.

UC Merced will celebrate World Food Day with its first Pop-up Produce program from 10 a.m. to 2 pm. Oct. 16 on Scholars Lane. The Pop-up Produce event provides students with free, local and organic produce twice a month for the academic year.

This month, students can garner fruits and vegetables like green beans, crookneck squash, Asian pears, pomegranates, cucumbers and jalapenos. The produce is purchased from Food Commons Fresno and supports local organic farms.

UC Merced’s Homecoming Oct. 20-22 will draw students, staff, faculty, alumni, family and friends together for a weekend of activities that highlight the campus and the community.

UC Merced’s sustainability office is seeking undergraduate students who are thinking about careers in energy to fill this fall’s Energize Colleges internships.

UC Merced is one of 12 college and university campuses across California that offer undergraduate students internships through Energize Colleges, a workforce development and training program led by nonprofit Strategic Energy Innovations.

UC Merced students had the chance to gain knowledge and leadership skills for their personal and academic careers at the 2017 Leadership Conference, hosted by the campus’s Margo F. Souza Student Leadership Center on Sept. 23.

Now in its 11th year, the annual conference was redesigned to help facilitate deep transformational learning to increasing student leadership on campus and beyond.