UC Merced continues to pave the way to success for students of color to thrive at a four-year college. To continue to support these efforts, the campus, in collaboration with Stanislaus State, announced the expansion of the 1300 Campaign, an initiative aimed to send an additional 1,300 young people of color into the UC and California State University (CSU) systems by 2030
The 1300 Campaign will focus on high school students in the Northern Central Valley, including the areas of Modesto, Merced and San Joaquin counties.
"This project requires the will and commitment of all of those who work with us, to lay the academic and social groundwork for students of color to succeed," Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said. "UC Merced, where more than 90 percent of our undergraduates are students of color, fully embraces this challenge to do even more."
The initiative will target implementation efforts in high schools underperforming the state averages for graduation rates, A-G completion rates, college-going rates, four-year college-going rates, expulsion, suspension, and free or reduced lunch.
Attendees to Friday's announcement included Modesto City Schools Superintendent Sara Noguchi, who says it is crucial to build a pipeline between high schools and colleges for students of color to thrive.
“I am committed to developing a strong relationship with our institutions to guide our students through the system,” Noguchi said. “I look forward to seeing the improvements we will see in our city and the whole state.”
The initiative will also allow one cohort of students this summer to experience college life for a week at UC Merced or Stan State.
“What we are doing is igniting the fuel for our students of color to pursue higher educations,” Stan State President Ellen Junn said.
