University of California, Merced - SJV PRIME

20 Years In, ��ý Celebrates Achievements, Looks to Future

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 15:58:05 +0000

By Jody Murray, ��ý

October 23, 2025

In his annual address, Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said the state of ��ý is "strong, respected and ascendant."

Only 20 years since undergraduate instruction began, ��ý is a recognized leader in conducting academic research, developing young minds for career success and driving economic growth, the university’s chancellor said Wednesday.

Speaking to a gathering of campus and community leaders, along with members of the ��ý Foundation Board of Trustees, Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz delivered his annual State of the University address, honoring the pioneering spirit and can-do determination of the faculty, staff and students who celebrated the university’s grand opening in fall 2005.

Less than a handful of buildings were complete on a campus still bustling with construction workers. Most of the first classes were held in the library.

Muñoz said founding Chancellor Carol Tomlinson-Keasey, in an opening day address, told her audience that “��ý resolved to reach the high standards for education and innovation set by the University of California's previous nine campuses.

“The chancellor knew then, as I do now, that the people assembled to learn, to teach, to work and inquire at ��ý have indeed been and remain categorically up to the task.”

Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, left, and Keith Alley at the State of the University event. Alley and his wife, Jill, created an endowment for undergrad student research. Keith Alley is ��ý's founding vice chancellor for research and graduate dean.

Muñoz announced that one of ��ý’s founding leaders made a generous contribution to the university’s future. Keith Alley and his wife, Jill, created an endowment with ongoing funding and pledged up to $2 million in support of undergraduate student research. Keith Alley was ��ý’s first vice chancellor for research and graduate dean. He also served as provost from 2006 until his retirement in 2012.

Among the 20 years of firsts cited in the address:

��ý’s economic impact totals $1 billion annually in Merced County and nearly $1.4 billion in California, according to a new study. A soon-to-be-released report by Beacon Economics, commissioned by the university, said ��ý supports 1 in every 15 jobs in the county and more than 8,600 jobs statewide. The university’s research enterprise generates $158 million in economic output in California, with every research dollar ��ý invests in research doubling in economic activity.
��ý advanced in recent national college rankings. U.S. News & World Report placed the university 25th among public universities, and The Wall Street Journal ranked it 14^th among all universities. Both reports placed ��ý third for social mobility, which measures the improvement of students’ economic and social standing through knowledge, skills and opportunity.
More than 95 percent of the student body is Californian, including nearly 40 percent from the Central Valley. In addition, 65 percent of new students in the current semester are the first in their families to attend college.
The Merced Automatic Admissions Program, known as MAAP, offers a streamlined application to high school students who meet UC qualifications. Fresno Unified, the state’s third-largest school district, joined MAAP in September, adding to a list of about 40 districts statewide.
Earlier this year, ��ý reached the nation’s highest status for public research universities, attaining the R1 classification from the Carnegie Foundation. The university also earned Carnegie’s new “opportunity” status for emphasizing access to underrepresented or low-income students and for producing graduates who earn significantly above expectations. Only 21 universities nationwide and three in California hold both classifications.
Other highlights from the chancellor included the growth of the Agricultural Experiment Station, the ongoing construction of the Medical Education Building and of the Promise Housing project for transfer students; and the start of the third cohort of students in the San Joaquin Valley PRIME+ pathway, designed to train physicians with Valley roots to practice in the region.

Muñoz returned to the remarks by Tomlinson-Keasey to draw a bright throughline from the promise of 2005 to the achievements of 2025.

“She said, ‘Our university will not be finished in 20 years, not in 50 years, not in many lifetimes. But let us begin,’” he said. “I am so very proud of what we have become at ��ý. I am in awe of what we can be.

“As my predecessor said 20 years ago, I say again today: Let us begin.”

Jody Murray

SJV PRIME+ Expands Training with Sutter Gould, Modesto Hospital Partnership

Anonymous — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 17:36:26 +0000

By Jessica Gardezy, ��ý

October 12, 2025

Second and third year SJV PRIME+ students are welcomed by Sutter Gould Medical Foundation and Sutter's Memorial Medical Center leadership

��ý’s San Joaquin Valley PRIME+ (B.S. to M.D.) pathway continues to grow as it teams up with Sutter Gould Medical Foundation and Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center in Modesto. The collaboration will give undergraduate students in the pathway the opportunity to complete immersive, eight-week clinical experiences alongside physicians in a range of specialties, bringing them one step closer to their goal of serving communities throughout the Valley.

“This collaboration is a meaningful expansion of our students’ exposure to real-world medical settings in the region they are preparing to serve,” said Emily Bauer, community engagement coordinator for ��ý’s Department of Medical Education (DOME). “Our team has worked closely with organizations like Sutter to establish these opportunities, and we’re proud to see this partnership come to life.”

Each participating student will make the hourlong journey from Merced to Modesto each week to shadow clinicians in primary care and other specialties, often returning to campus just in time for afternoon classes — a testament to their dedication to serving Valley communities. Over the course of the semester, students will gain firsthand insight into the realities of patient care and health systems across the Central Valley.

The agreement was championed by ��ý alumnus Dr. Zi Wang ’11, medical director of the stroke program at Sutter’s Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Wang, who grew up in the Bay Area and chose ��ý as part of its early graduating classes, reflected on the personal significance of the moment.

“This program unites the two institutions that shaped me as a physician,” Wang said. “��ý taught me to be a trailblazer — to build something from the ground up. That pioneering spirit is what brought me back to serve the Central Valley and to help create opportunities for those who will follow.”

Dr. Wang told students his first exposure to medicine came as an undergraduate at ��ý, when he began scribing for physicians at Memorial Medical Center. “That front-row seat to health care in the Valley changed my life,” he said. “It showed me both the challenges and the promise of medicine here — and it made me realize that this community deserves better. I wanted to be part of delivering that better care.”

He also emphasized the enduring values of the profession. “You will not always have the answers,” he said. “But what you can always do — what you must always do — is be present for your patients. As the saying goes, ‘Cure sometimes, relieve often, comfort always.’ That's the essence of medicine.”

The Sutter partnership is one of several clinical collaborations underway as DOME continues to build the SJV PRIME+ pathway. Additional partnerships in development with local, Merced County-based health centers will expand student placements across the region, allowing for experiences ranging from observation-based shadowing to community-based health education.

The first SJV PRIME+ cohort will transition into the program’s medical education phase in 2027, completing their first year and a half of medical training at ��ý before moving to UCSF Fresno for their clinical rotations.

Each of these partnerships represents years of groundwork, and many more such partnerships are needed as ��ý works toward its own full-fledged medical school.

“We are working toward not just a program or pathway,” Bauer said, “but a continuous pipeline of locally trained, community-centered physicians who will ultimately improve health care across the San Joaquin Valley.”

Alyssa Johansen

Need for More Latino Doctors Highlighted at ��ý Event

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 19:34:19 +0000

By Patty Guerra, ��ý

October 13, 2025

Michael Galvez is a board-certified pediatric hand surgeon.

In the United States, 20 percent of the population is Latino. By 2050, it’s expected that one in three people will identify as Latino. But less than 7 percent of doctors come from a similar background.

Dr. Michael Galvez, a board-certified pediatric hand surgeon at Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera County, is on a mission to change that number. In 2022, he cofounded National Latino Physician Day, which is aimed at raising awareness and is part of an effort to increase the minority health care workforce.

Galvez brought his effort to ��ý, where he spoke on the appointed day, Oct. 1.

“It’s not just about patient-by-patient care but the whole health care system,” Galvez said. “We need to have respect for culture and language and lived experiences.”

The lack of minority doctors means more than just a potential language barrier. Galvez pointed to significant health care barriers, inequalities and poorer outcomes in the Latino/Latina/Latinx patient population.

“The lack of Latino physician representation provides additional barriers to culturally and linguistically concordant care, leading to worse health care outcomes,” the National Latino Physician Day website says.

His own route into medicine was untraditional, Galvez said.

“My parents are from Lima, Peru. We spoke Spanish at home,” he said. And he wasn’t a stellar student in high school.

“I had a 2.8 GPA. I had A’s in PE,” he said. But he attended a community college, where he got to experience working in a lab. “I saw the work I was doing was valuable,” he said.

Galvez finished his undergraduate years at UC-Berkeley, then attended medical school at Stanford University. He completed a Howard Hughes Medical Institute research fellowship, then finished his residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery at Stanford, where he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.

He completed training in combined hand and microvascular surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle and completed a second fellowship in pediatric upper extremity surgery at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas.

“Of the 100 surgeons where I trained, only three were Latino or Latina,” Galvez said. “I was one of the only doctors who spoke Spanish at Stanford. Those numbers are terrible.”

Those statistics helped spur him to start the National Latino Physician Day effort.

“Really, it started as a tweet,” Galvez said. “That first year (2022), it got 14.1 million views.”

Now, more than 100 hospitals and medical institutions are partnering to advance the project.

“This year, we have over 25 events across the country,” Galvez said. “Last week, we had 400 people in an auditorium at UC Riverside.”

He said programs like the SJV Prime+ medical education pathway at ��ý will help.

“The mission that ��ý has is working toward that,” Galvez said. “To help all communities and understand that language and culture are helpful for this population.”

Students attending the presentation asked Galvez what brought him to the Central Valley and what his typical day is like. He said the lack of specialists available in the area was one attraction.

“When I was in the Bay Area I would see patients from the Central Valley, and I knew it was hard for them to get there,” he said.

There was also a personal connection.

“My wife was a big factor,” he said. A clinical lab scientist, she attended ��ý and her family went to Fresno State.

His days are occupied by his work as a doctor, his advocacy and his family.

“Essentially, the life I chose is pretty hectic,” Galvez said. “Yesterday, I saw 25 fractures.”

Outside of that, he spends time with his wife and three children and works on making headway in his passion project.

“I don’t golf,” Galvez said. “I do this.”

Patty Guerra

From the Valley, for the Valley: New SJV PRIME+ Students Embark on Journey to Transform Health Care

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:35:07 +0000

By Jessica Gardezy, ��ý

September 12, 2025

The newest cohort of SJV PRIME+ students embarks on their eight-year BS-to-MD journey.

The stethoscopes may come later, but the commitment to community was clear as ��ý welcomed its newest SJV PRIME+ students last weekend. The Student and Family Welcome event marked the beginning of an eight-year journey for 15 students who will progress from bachelor’s degrees at ��ý to medical degrees from the UCSF School of Medicine, and complete clinical training at UCSF Fresno — all with a shared mission to strengthen health care in the San Joaquin Valley.

A Celebration of Purpose

Faculty, staff and leaders from all three campuses gathered to mark the occasion, underscoring the critical role of the new pathway in addressing the San Joaquin Valley’s severe physician shortage. For students, the day was both celebratory and humbling, as they accepted their place in an academic journey that carries responsibility far beyond themselves.

“This is truly a magnificent moment,” said Dr. Margo Vener, Chair of ��ý’s Department of Medical Education. “We have the best job in the world — to train future doctors for the Valley. Our students are beginning a journey to become physicians who are worthy of their patients’ trust.”

Vener reminded students and families that medical training is never an individual pursuit, but a collective one. “When we take a journey like this, we don’t do it alone,” she said, recognizing the sacrifices of families, staff and faculty across ��ý, UCSF and UCSF Fresno whose efforts have made the pathway possible.

A Call to Serve

In his remarks, ��ý Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz celebrated the students’ achievements while issuing a challenge: to remember the Valley communities that made their education possible.

“You distinguished yourself through your hard work, your talent and your commitment, and you’ve chosen the call to serve,” Muñoz said. “There will be opportunities in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and the Bay Area, but I hope you remember that it was the Valley; Chowchilla, Fresno, Madera – that afforded you this professional life.”

He underscored the Valley’s role as the nation’s agricultural heartland, noting that the people who sustain global food supplies “deserve the best doctors in the world.” To the families in attendance, he added, “This achievement is also yours. No one gets to this podium by themselves; no one puts on that white coat alone.”

Bringing Training Home

For Dr. Kenny Banh, UCSF Fresno Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, the launch of SJV PRIME+ in 2023 builds on UCSF Fresno’s 50 years of graduate medical education in the region. Each year, nearly 300 residents and fellows train at UCSF Fresno, making it a longstanding anchor for advanced medical training in the Central Valley.

“To truly expand access to health care for all, we must increase the quantity and quality of physicians practicing in the San Joaquin Valley, particularly those who grew up in the region and understand the health conditions pertinent to the Valley,” Banh said.

Banh, who was born in a refugee camp in Pennsylvania and now oversees UCSF Fresno’s mobile medical clinic, reminded students that their own unique backgrounds equip them to serve Valley communities. “We expect you to be leaders in the communities you are privileged to serve in public health, in community engagement, and with all patient populations,” he said. “That’s why we looked for you.”

A Shared Commitment

Throughout the program, students expressed gratitude for the opportunity and a collective pledge to serve the region. “Together, we dedicate our future as physicians to advancing health equity in the Central Valley,” said Caden Cal, who described medicine as the “perfect intersection between science and service.”

Several students shared deeply personal motivations for pursuing medicine:

Sanya Nath, credited her pediatrician’s care with inspiring her to become a physician for underserved children.
Aminah Carter hopes to become an endocrinologist and a “catalyst for education and change.”
Mariah Dhillon pointed to her lifelong fascination with neurology and promised to bring empathy and passion to every patient encounter.
Adam Badawia emphasized that his cultural and community experiences would allow him to build trust with future patients.

The cohort spoke with one voice about their mission. “Our goal is to become doctors that the San Joaquin Valley can rely on to surpass their expectations,” said Litzy Ramirez Paz-Caruthers, echoing a shared commitment that resonated throughout the event.

Looking Forward

For ��ý and its partners, the launch of SJV PRIME+ is more than the creation of an academic pathway – it is a promise to the Valley. It represents a new generation of physicians who will not only train in the region but remain here to serve. Their path forward is more than a personal achievement; it is a collective step toward stronger, more accessible and more equitable health care for the San Joaquin Valley.

Alyssa Johansen

From Dreams to Degrees: Graduates Celebrate with Scholarship Donors

Anonymous — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 19:06:06 +0000

By Francesca Dinglasan, ��ý

June 12, 2025

��ý donors Cheryl Matsubara and Dar Chen with Chen and Matsubara Family Scholar Jahaira Morales ’25 (center)

��ý’s graduating Class of 2025 recently celebrated its achievement at the campus’s spring commencement, joined by family members, close friends and loved ones.

For two graduates, Jahaira Morales and Bryan Gutierrez, the ceremony also was an opportunity to meet with a couple of other individuals who have been invested in their higher-education journey at ��ý – their scholarship benefactors, Dar Chen and Cheryl Matsubara.

As Chen and Matsubara Family Scholars, Morales and Gutierrez received financial awards throughout their four years at ��ý. They both received the initial scholarship disbursement as incoming freshmen and were eligible to renew it every year as long as they remained in good academic standing.

“I’m very thankful and lucky for being chosen for this scholarship,” Morales said during her meeting with Chen and Matsubara. “School is really expensive, and the scholarship supported me so much throughout my time as an undergrad.”

Morales, a biological sciences major who attended high school in nearby Turlock, said the financial assistance was essential for the necessities to complete her studies.

“The money was important for my supplies,” she said. “I remember my laptop broke, and I was only able to get a new one because of my scholarship.”

Gutierrez, a Merced native who earned his degree in psychology, also expressed his gratitude for the resources provided by the Chen and Matsubara Family Scholarship.

“It really came as a surprise when I was selected, and I am extremely appreciative,” he said.

The two new graduates are the latest Chen and Matsubara Family Scholars to meet with the couple who supported them. Before they visited Merced during commencement, Chen and Matsubara met with other scholarship recipients, observing the dedication and resilience of ��ý students.

“I’m very impressed with them and how much they value coming to this campus,” said Matsubara. “They have a lot of responsibilities, and I get the sense that they need to work to help with the financial stress.

“That is why we decided to do a current-use scholarship,” she added, citing their preference for a scholarship that provides funding to students immediately rather than an investment for future use. “We hope it helps relieve the financial stress and gives them a little more time to concentrate on their studies or be active in other areas on campus.”

As self-described products of public education and the University of California, Matsubara and Chen noted that “the value of public education is well understood and appreciated by us.”

“Public education is just so vital and the great equalizer,” said Matsubara. “The UC system does a wonderful job, and we want to continue to be a part of that.”

Matsubara and Chen are both UC Berkeley alumni and had considered charitable giving to their alma mater. They started learning more about the UC campus in the Central Valley, located about an hour away from where Matsubara grew up as the daughter of a farmer, and saw the proportional impact their philanthropy could have on the much younger and growing university.

“We looked into the size of endowments at UC campuses and realized Berkeley’s is at a certain level, and the newest campus is completely different,” said Chen. “We had a few conversations and decided our financial assistance program would make a bigger difference at Merced on a relative basis than UC Berkeley and would be able to help more people.”

Cheryl Matsubara and Dar Chen in front of the under-construction Medical Education Building, which will include the Chen and Matsubara Family Anatomy Small Group Room.

In addition to their multi-year undergraduate scholarship, Chen and Matsubara have also made a gift in support of the campus’s new Medical Education Building. In recognition of their generosity, the facility’s dedicated anatomy space will be named the Chen and Matsubara Family Anatomy Small Group Room.

Chen and Matsubara shared that the inspiration for the gift came from a conversation between the couple and one of their scholars.

“A few years ago, we had the chance to talk to a couple of the scholarship recipients and asked how their programs were going,” said Chen. “One was in pre-med and told us she needed to go to a community college for her anatomy classes, and we thought, ‘How could that be right?’

“��ý should have that capability and facility,” he added. “Also, Cheryl’s degree is in biology and her favorite subject is anatomy, so when the Medical Education Building was proposed, the anatomy room was a natural choice for us.”

Chen and Matsubara are optimistic that ��ý’s medical education efforts will help improve health care access and quality in the underserved Central Valley and that their support of promising students from the region is contributing to that important outcome.

“We’ve always wanted to give back to help others in their education,” said Matsubara.

It is an ideal the couple hopes they will inspire in others, including the students who benefit from their support. When saying goodbye and sharing their well wishes with Morales and Gutierrez, Chen reminded the new graduates, “Just remember that 30 years from now, you’ve got to pay it forward.”

Alyssa Johansen

Medical Education at ��ý Grows; Adds New Students, Faculty

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 23:37:56 +0000

By Francesca Dinglasan

November 21, 2024

The second cohort of the B.S.-to-M.D. pathway is composed of 15 students, doubling the number of students in the program.

Medical education at ��ý is expanding at a rapid pace as part of the campus’ long-term goal to address the shortage of physicians and health care professionals in the Central Valley.

This fall, the university welcomed the second cohort of students in the B.S.-to-M.D. pathway. Formally known as the San Joaquin Valley PRIME Plus Program (SJV PRIME+), the partnership among ��ý, UC San Francisco and UCSF Fresno offers students a path from undergraduate studies to medical school, with access to guidance, peer support and training focused on meeting the challenges faced by this very specialized group during their academic journey.

Like the inaugural cohort of B.S.-to-M.D. pathway students who entered ��ý in the 2023-24 academic year, the second cohort comprises 15 students, doubling the number of students in the program. All the scholars were recruited from the Valley and share an ambition to become medical leaders, practitioners and advocates for the region.

Students in the second cohort come from small towns and cities in Fresno, Kern, Madera, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties, representing a rich diversity of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. They share a deep motivation to improve health care access and quality of care for their hometowns and communities.

“My commitment to medicine stems from my upbringing on a farm and in a rural community,” said Gunreet Mahil, a student from Madera. “I’ve been able to witness firsthand the severe lack of adequate health care for farmworkers and community members in the San Joaquin Valley. These experiences have deeply influenced and shaped my perspective on health care… (and) fueled my commitment to addressing health care disparities and improving access for not only underserved populations, but also the community that has shaped my identity and purpose.

“I’d like to become a doctor that patients are excited to see,” she added. “I’m beyond excited to start caring for my community.”

Tayba Khan, a first-year student from Fresno, shared that her experiences growing up with limited care facilities helped her understand the systemic disadvantages faced by her community. “Constantly working to survive meant that medical care was always pushed to the side until it was impossible to bear, and this attitude surrounding medicine and work created a culture where the emergency room was the only point of care for entire communities,” she said. “This stress on the emergency rooms left many patients with bandage solutions and no long-term interventions. 

“Seeing my parents suffer in silence to give me a future put into perspective how detrimental inadequate access to medical care is to communities across the Central Valley,” continued Khan. “Being a doctor, to me, means being the bridge between adequate health care access and my community.”

“Students join this program because they are dedicated to becoming doctors for the Valley,” noted Director of Medical Education Dr. Margo Vener. “Our job is to give them the training they need to make their dreams turn into reality, and they can become the skillful, humane physicians that the Valley deserves.”

Vital to the SJV PRIME+ students’ ability to embark on this rigorous course of study is the philanthropic support of community partners and campus donors. Many of the B.S.-to-M.D. pathway students are the recipients of comprehensive, multi-year scholarships that help cover undergraduate expenses. For most of these scholars, receiving financial assistance is what made attending ��ý possible.

Among the ��ý partners whose gifts are helping make a difference for these scholars is the Central Valley Opportunity Fund (CVOF), a Central Valley Community Foundation initiative.

“Both ��ý and the medical education students' passion for making a difference in our community reflects the values of the Central Valley Opportunity Fund,” said CVCF Merced Regional Director Kim Garner. “We all share a commitment to making big and lasting changes in our region, creating equitable health care opportunities and transforming systems to correct inequality.”

To keep pace with the growing program, several new teaching faculty were hired this fall. Joining Vener in the Department of Medical Education are Rosa Manzo, Matthew Warren, Julia Alvarez, Marco Garcia-Ojeda, Susan DeRiemer and Nripendra Dhillon. Chief among the faculty’s priorities is to prepare the curriculum for the program’s foundational courses, which are slated to be ready for classroom delivery by fall 2027.

Also underway is the construction of ��ý’s Medical Education Building, which will house the B.S.-to-M.D. pathway along with the departments of psychology and public health and the Health Sciences Research Institute. Groundbreaking on the state-of-the-art facility took place in May, and the building is on track to open in fall 2026.

Alyssa Johansen

University’s Strength Lies in Opportunities for Social Mobility, Chancellor Says

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:29:58 +0000

October 10, 2024

��ý Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said the university "is growing stronger year after year."

��ý is being recognized from coast to coast as an institution that “redefines academic excellence, Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said Wednesday in the annual State of the University address.

“As chancellor of this magnificent institution, I tell you that the state of our university is strong, and growing stronger year after year,” Muñoz said.

Speaking before an audience of faculty, staff, benefactors, Bobcat student athletes, and members of the university’s Board of Trustees, Muñoz said the University of California’s youngest campus is more than fulfilling its mission of research, teaching and community service.

“Academic excellence is about exceeding the national average in student graduation rates and minimizing the costs of education. It is about enrolling and graduating a large proportion of students from lower-income families,” Munoz said.

Muñoz noted that:

The Wall Street Journal ranked the university No. 1 for social mobility — how well colleges and universities attract students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and help them complete degrees and graduate into promising careers. “As someone who was a member of that economically disadvantaged community, what an amazing legacy for this campus,” Muñoz said. “And let me tell you, it’s nice to be number one.”
��ý enrolled more than 2,300 first-year or transfer students for the fall semester, bringing the total student body to more than 9,100.

Several ��ý student-athletes attended the event.

Nearly all the first-year class comes from California, including 32 percent from the Central Valley, 29 percent from Southern California and 26 percent from the San Francisco Bay Area.
The university’s athletics program is transitioning from an NAIA affiliation to NCAA Division II, generating more visibility for ��ý and more opportunities for student-athletes.
The second group of students in ��ý’s B.S. to M.D. pathway started classes this fall. The 15 students, all from Central Valley communities, are in the SJV PRIME+ program, designed to develop medical professionals who will start their careers in the Valley. The original cohort of 15 began its academic journey in fall 2023.
Construction is underway on a Medical Education Building that will house the B.S. to M.D. pathway, along with the public health and psychology departments and the Health Sciences Research Institute.
Researchers at ��ý received nearly $80 million in grants and other funding for their groundbreaking work while spending a university-record $62 million in pursuit of knowledge that raises the bar for the Valley, California and beyond.
Boldy Forward, the university’s fundraising campaign, reported more than $102 million from nearly 7,800 unique donors. The campaign has a goal of $200 million by 2030.

Fresno developer and longtime ��ý supporter Ed Kashian accepts the Chancellor's Medal.

Wednesday’s gathering also featured a presentation of the Chancellor’s Medal, ��ý’s highest recognition. This year’s recipient was Fresno real estate developer Ed Kashian, who, with wife Jeanne, is a major supporter of ��ý.

“Mr. Kashian has been instrumental to the growth of our university since its earliest days,” Munoz said.

“I simply want to say,” Kashian said after receiving the medal, “I am very proud of the service you have given to all of the people of the Valley.”

Jody Murray

From Bakersfield to a ‘Peaceful’ Place to Pursue Science, Medicine

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 23:20:52 +0000

By Jody Murray, ��ý

July 2, 2024

This is part of a series of profiles of new ��ý Bobcats enrolled for the fall 2024 semester.

San Joaquin Valley native Anmol Kaur is well on her way to making a splash in the worlds of science and medicine. The Bakersfield resident, coming to ��ý as a first-year student, parlayed strong experiences in high school into a slot in the second SJV PRIME+ medical education cohort.

Kaur is poised to follow a path taken by her parents, who both have careers in medicine.

Where I come from: I grew up in Bakersfield and graduated from Stockdale High School.

What I've done: I maintained a 4.5 GPA in high school and was accepted into the Project Lead the Way biomedical science program. I experienced hands-on activities like analyzing DNA, dissecting organs and conducting a pig autopsy. I co-founded W.I.S.E. (Women in STEM Education), a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring and educating young girls about STEM careers. We supported our community by organizing online seminars, holding robotics and microscopy analysis workshops for middle schoolers, and awarding scholarships to high schoolers.

Why are you excited about coming to ��ý? As someone who grew up in the Central Valley, ��ý's quiet, peaceful location feels like a comfortable fit. My acceptance into the SJV PRIME+ BS/MD pathway was a major factor in my decision to attend the university.

Academic and personal goals: As a biological sciences major, I hope to continue expanding my experience and interest in the fields of science and medicine. With the support of those around me, I am committed to preparing for medical school. Beyond that, I plan to volunteer within my community, connect with new people, and make lasting memories.

My favorite food: All kinds of fruits.

Early bird or night owl? Night owl.

You can teleport anywhere in the world for a three-day weekend. Where do you go? I would love to explore Italy’s scenic towns.

Quotable: “After meeting members of the previous SJV PRIME+ cohort and seeing how close everyone became throughout the year, I am looking forward to gaining new experiences and developing similar relationships.”

Jody Murray

Following the Mission to Improve Valley Health Care

Anonymous — Wed, 15 May 2024 17:26:52 +0000

By Jody Murray, ��ý

May 15, 2024

UC President Michael Drake signs a white coat to celebrate an important milestone for ��ý's Medical Education Building.

It was a groundbreaking Tuesday night so there were shovels. Many shovels. Full sized, posterized, miniaturized (in a gift box). All to mark a symbolic turning of earth for ��ý’s Medical Education Center.

The tools also evoke something Dr. Kenny Banh said nearly a year ago. A top administrator at UC San Francisco's Fresno campus, he was talking about San Joaquin Valley PRIME, a program that prepared students from the Valley for a medical career. Training included at least a year in the Bay Area.

“With SJV PRIME, we would take these great students from the Valley and train them in San Francisco," said Banh, assistant dean for undergraduate medical education. "That’s not growing your own garden.”

The Medical Education Building, scheduled to open in 2026, will host the undergraduate phase of the SJV PRIME+ program, which packages years of undergraduate and medical school training within ��ý and UCSF Fresno.

“SJV PRIME+ is about taking kids from your backyard and keeping them in your backyard,” Banh said. “It’s called building a community.”

Medical training that stays in the Valley is one SJV PRIME+ tentpole. The other is just as important, if not more so: Students accepted into the program must express an intent to practice medicine in the Valley, thereby improving the quality of health care for a region in dire need of it.

Due to numerous socio-economic and cultural pressures, access to health care is a struggle in the Valley. The region has 130 physicians per 100,000 people, compared to 191 per 100,000 in all of California, according to a 2020 study by the Council on Graduate Medical Education.

The study also looked at what it called Health Professional Shortage Areas. Examples of an HPSA include low-income communities, homeless populations and groups of migrant farmworkers. In California, 28% of the population lives in an HPSA. In the Valley, the number soars to 92%.

Bringing in a place where we can actually grow doctors who can then go out and service their communities … that’s wonderful. This is the beginning of something really special.

Fred Ruiz

“We all are aware of the numbers and how we're underserved, so it's great that this campus that came to the Central Valley and lifted up our educational opportunities is also lifting up our medical opportunities,” said Jack Garamendi, a member of the ��ý Board of Trustees.

Longtime ��ý benefactor Fred Ruiz has lived in the Valley since age 9. He has seen the disparities in health care, especially in rural, underserved communities.

“Bringing in a place where we can actually grow doctors who can then go out and service their communities … that’s wonderful,” he said. “This is the beginning of something really special.”

The Medical Education Building will host more than what the university calls its B.S.-to-M.D. program. It also will be home to ��ý’s Health Sciences Research Institute, its departments of public health and psychological sciences, and other allied health care programs developed with regional community colleges. In short, it’s a full-scale delivery of ��ý’s keystone commitment to community service.

“A mission of ��ý is to impact this region economically in terms of health writ large — reducing health disparities, increasing access to care and health professionals,” public health Professor Nancy Burke said. “Also, we have faculty, graduate students and postdocs doing research that addresses the social, political and cultural structures that impact health here. It’s pretty unique.”

Dr. Marisela Rangel-Garcia, a Fresno gastroenterologist and one of the first students in the original SJV PRIME program, has a unique point of view of that mission.

“As a freshman at ��ý back in 2005, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do but after being influenced by multiple people here, I decided to pursue medicine. I was inspired by patients that I saw as a volunteer at Mercy Medical Center Merced,” Rangel-Garcia said.

“��ý has been a huge part of my journey. And now as I return to the Valley, I'm excited to be here to serve patients and excited by what the future holds for the Central Valley with the Medical Education Building.”

The word “seventh” was spoken more than once at the groundbreaking ceremony. It referred to the six medical centers in the UC system. Someday — certainly not any time soon — ��ý will add to that number, with this building and the programs within signifying a mighty leap in that direction.

“We have 5 million people in the San Joaquin Valley. If we were a state, we’d be the 27^th largest in the country, and we’d be the largest without a medical school,” said state Assembly Member Joaquin Arambula. “I spent 10 years on the front lines of health care as an emergency room doctor. I’m looking forward to seeing reinforcements on the horizon.”

As a cloudy dusk fell on Tuesday night’s ceremony and six golden shovels plunged into earth, it was a time to celebrate not just the moment but the months and years and decades to come.

“What we’re doing tonight is setting off what’s going to happen 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Betsy Dumont, “which is to be a Valley empowered with health care and empowered with the ability to build to take care of itself and take care of other regions of California.”

Jody Murray

2023: A Look Back

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 15:34:14 +0000

December 21, 2023

Pausing to reflect on the year's accomplishments.

2023 was a remarkable year in which ��ý experienced tremendous growth and acclaim. Several milestones were reached, setting up the university to continue thriving in the near future and beyond. As we embark on a new year, here's a look back at the stories that shaped 2023.

��ý Marks the 20th Anniversary of the University’s Groundbreaking

January 26th, 2023

Members of ��ý’s founding faculty and staff were on-hand to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the university’s groundbreaking. The event took place at the Dr. Vikram and Priya Lakireddy Grand Ballroom which was filled with stories about the campus’s early days. During his remarks, Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz highlighted how far the university had come in a short amount of time and gave a preview of what’s in store.

��ý Students Assist Those Affected By Floods

January 31st, 2023

In the wake of historic rains in the area and subsequent damage to personal property, an equally strong show of humanity was also on display. A prime example of this took place when a group of ��ý students pitched in to assist those who were affected when a storage facility was flooded. Members of campus sports teams and organizations helped sort, load and discard belongings from tenants, some of whom had rented space for up to 20 years.

Community and Labor Center Releases Farmworker Health Study

February 3rd, 2023

Over a six month period, ��ý's Community and Labor Center led a team that surveyed more than 1200 California farmworkers about the challenges they face as part of their jobs. The report that was published – which cited poor working conditions and disparity of healthcare options – was eye-opening and sent shockwaves throughout the agriculture industry.

Record Number of Students Apply at ��ý

February 27th, 2023

While the number of students enrolling in higher education in the nation is in decline, ��ý continues to buck this trend. The university saw over 26,000 first-year students apply for admissions this year, a record number that was boosted by an significant increase in international interest. Overall, most of the applicants came from California.

Solar Films Developed at ��ý Test Well in Space

April 12, 2023

Solar cells can be heavy for transport into space, but research headed up by Professor Sayantani Ghosh’s lab aims to make panel production in space a viable option. Solar films that were developed at ��ý, in collaboration with NASA, yielded promising results during a recent test run on the International Space Station.

Campus Adds New Majors and Emphases

June 12, 2023

As the campus continues to grow, ��ý offerings for students follow suit. The university announced five new majors that will come online in 2024, including Chemical Engineering and Data Science. Nine new emphases will be available as well, featuring the much-anticipated Aerospace Engineering. If there is enough interest, these emphases can also develop into majors.

Transformative $9 Million Gift To Boost Undergraduate Support

June 21, 2023

A $9 million gift from an anonymous donor will open the door to ��ý for more local high school students. The generous donation to the long-standing Gateway Scholarship Program will create an endowment fund that will provide scholarships to at least 36 incoming Bobcats every year, contributing to the university’s mission of increasing access and opportunity in the region.

Professor Sora Kim Featured on Shark Week

July 17, 2023

This summer, ��ý made a cameo in Hollywood when Professor Sora Kim was featured in Discovery Channel’s widely popular Shark Week. Kim’s shark research has fascinated the general public for years, but her work studying the megalodon is what caught the attention of the producers behind “Jaws vs The Meg” – one of the shows featured during the network's annual campaign dedicated to the ocean’s most notorious predator.

��ý Student Appointed UC Student Regent

July 19, 2023

In a first for a ��ý student, Josiah Beharry was named the 2024-25 student regent by the UC Board of Regents. Beharry, a graduate student, was selected after a rigorous vetting process and will now represent over 290,000 students enrolled in the UC system. According to the UC website, the student Regent is a full voting member of the Board of Regents and serves a one-year term.

Charles Ogletree, Jr. Passes Away

August 8, 2023

Merced native and ��ý champion Charles Ogletree, Jr. left behind a legacy of social justice and education. Ogletree’s inspirational journey takes him from humble beginnings in South Merced to Stanford and, ultimately, Harvard where he received his law degree and later returned to teach and become a mentor to many, including future President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama. Ogletree delivered the keynote address at ��ý’s opening ceremony back in 2005.

First Cohort of New BS/MD Pathway Start Classes

August 17, 2023

When the call initially went out, over 1200 high school seniors began the process of applying for only 12 spots in the new medical education program at ��ý, SJV PRIME+. After the dust settled, 15 students were selected and began their journey to becoming physicians this fall via the university’s BS-to-MD pathway, a partnership with UCSF and UCSF Fresno. Chief among the criteria for the cohort was a commitment to serving the San Joaquin Valley after graduating medical school.

��ý Partners with Merced College to Build Transfer Housing Project

September 1, 2023

A new student housing project will soon be constructed on campus thanks to the expanding partnership between ��ý and Merced College. Dubbed the Promise Housing Project – after the Merced Promise transfer pipeline – the development will feature almost 500 beds and address the lack of affordable housing for students in the area. Funding for the $100 million project was made possible by the California Legislature.

��ý Rises Nearly 40 Spots in US News College Rankings

September 17, 2023

��ý had a banner ranking season (late summer) that culminated in a nearly 40 spot jump to No. 60 in the annual US News & World Report College Ranking. Among public universities, ��ý came in at No. 28 in the country and No. 7 in the state. The university also rose to No. 4 in the nation in social mobility. ��ý had a strong showing in the Wall Street Journal rankings as well, placing No. 15 in the nation for publics and No. 3 in California.

��ý Athletics Takes First Steps to Joining DII

November 14, 2023

In a joint press release, ��ý and the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) announced that Bobcat Athletics would be joining the CCAA, pending the NCAA’s approval of the university’s move to Division II. ��ý has been a member of the Cal Pac Conference in the NAIA since 2011. If approved, the Bobcats’ first matches within the CCAA would take place in the 2025-26 season.

UC Regents Approve Funding for Medical Education Building at ��ý

November 15, 2023

At their November meeting, the UC Board of Regents gave final approval for the construction of a medical education building at ��ý. The vote approved the design and full budget of the four-story project which will feature 203,500 square feet of instructional, office, research and community space. The facility will be the home of the university’s new BS-to-MD pathway.

Check out the year's top research stories below, based on website page views.

Community and Labor Center Releases Farmworkers Health Study - A new landmark study by the ��ý Community and Labor Center shows farmworkers across California are facing serious health challenges on a daily basis.

��ý Professor First to Join DOE-Funded EFRC - Through a prestigious grant from the Department of Energy (DOE), a diverse group of scientists, including a chemist from ��ý, plan to address that problem by coupling two chemistries which are known to work independently, but don't work well together.

��ý Invests in Next Generation of Ag Tech Leadership - The new ��ý Farms Food Future innovation initiative is investing in 10 graduate researchers to solve climate and community challenges. Their work is the start of a concerted focus in climate-smart agriculture for the campus.

Berhe Chosen for National Academy of Engineering - Soil biogeochemistry Professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe — who is on leave from ��ý while she serves as federal director of the Office of Science for the Department of Energy — has been elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

Research Week Preview - The annual research showcase, hosted by the Office of Research and Economic Development, kicks off with a Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) event titled “Climate, Environment and Health: Impacting the San Joaquin Valley and Beyond.”

��ý-led Project Win NSF Development Award - The CBIO Collaborative is among the more than 40 unique teams to receive one of the first NSF Engines Development Awards, which aim to help partners collaborate economic, societal and technological opportunities for their regions.

UC Awards $164 Million in Grants to Address Climate, Energy and Health - For the first time, ��ý faculty members from each of the campus’s three schools have been chosen as principal investigators on some of the 21 exciting new projects that are being funded through UC’s Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives (MRPI).

Professor Ryals Earns Presidential Chair in Climate Change - Professor Rebecca Ryals has made campus history by being named ��ý’s inaugural Presidential Chair in Climate Change. The appointment was recommended by her peers and Dean Betsy Dumont from the School of Natural Sciences in recognition of Ryals’ outstanding research, teaching and service.

Grant Funds Collaborative Research Project with LLNL - Materials Science and Engineering Professor Beth Nowadnick has earned a National Science Foundation (NSF) award to study materials that may provide new ways to store or process information.

��ý Research Team’s Paper on Storage Needs for Renewable Energy Published - A paper published by a ��ý research team examines how the need for storage can vary for different combinations of renewable resources. The paper compared the merits of solar-only and solar-and-wind power generation grids.

University of California, Merced - SJV PRIME

20 Years In, ������ý Celebrates Achievements, Looks to Future

SJV PRIME+ Expands Training with Sutter Gould, Modesto Hospital Partnership

Need for More Latino Doctors Highlighted at ������ý Event

From the Valley, for the Valley: New SJV PRIME+ Students Embark on Journey to Transform Health Care

A Celebration of Purpose

A Call to Serve

Bringing Training Home

A Shared Commitment

Looking Forward

From Dreams to Degrees: Graduates Celebrate with Scholarship Donors

Medical Education at ������ý Grows; Adds New Students, Faculty

University’s Strength Lies in Opportunities for Social Mobility, Chancellor Says

From Bakersfield to a ‘Peaceful’ Place to Pursue Science, Medicine

Following the Mission to Improve Valley Health Care

2023: A Look Back

20 Years In, ��ý Celebrates Achievements, Looks to Future

Need for More Latino Doctors Highlighted at ��ý Event

Medical Education at ��ý Grows; Adds New Students, Faculty