Merced College nominated for prestigious national award. Here’s why
Editor’s note: The AgTEC Innovation Center is currently under construction. Incorrect information appeared in an earlier version of this story.
Merced College has been named one of 10 finalists for a prestigious national award that recognizes excellence in community colleges.
The college has been nominated for a 2026 Bellwether Award in the Workforce Development category.
Merced College was recognized for the impact of its AgTEC Workforce Initiative, the development of the AgTEC Innovation Center, and its partnership with Reservoir Farms, the college said in a Facebook post.
The $22 million AgTEC Innovation Center is currently under construction. It broke ground on April 17.
It is a project that aims to prepare students for advanced manufacturing in agricultural food systems with access to labs for meat, nuts, fruits, vegetables, and nutrition.
The 20,000-square foot AgTEC Innovation Center is expected to be completed in Fall of 2027.
“There is no other community college or even university that that has a facility like what we’re going to have,” Cody Jacobsen, Director of Ag Innovation at Merced College, told the Sun-Star in April.
The college also opened the Raj Kahlon Agriculture and Industrial Technology Complex in 2022. That center opened in 2022.
Bellwether College Consortium — comprised of innovative, award-winning community colleges — announced the finalists in November. The organization awards in three categories: Instructional Programs and Services; Workforce Development; and Planning, Governance, and Finance.
“We commend these outstanding finalists for their innovative and impactful programs, each dedicated to building a strong and competitive workforce,” the Bellwether College Consortium said in a Facebook post.
The national competition will be held Feb. 22-24 in San Antonio, Texas, according to a news release.
This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 1:54 PM.
