CA high school celebrates large number of UC Merced scholarships
Sixteen high school students in a small town south of Bakersfield made news this week when it was announced they’ve been awarded full-ride scholarships to UC Merced.
The students all attend Arvin High School, according to TV station ABC23 in Bakersfield. Many are first-generation college students, the report said.
Arvin is an agricultural city in Kern County, 15 miles southeast of Bakersfield. It has a population of about 20,000. Arvin has one of the highest poverty rates in California, according to reports.
The full scholarships will cover tuition, housing and meals. According to U.S. World News & Report, the total cost of attending UC Merced is $40,292 per year for in-state students.
Erick Santiago Rosalez told ABC23 his scholarship came as a big relief.
“(My parents) were initially going to help me fund it, but we don’t have that much,” he said. “So it was going to be difficult, and I was going to have to probably work a lot of jobs while in university, but this is definitely, like, a big stress off my back.”
UC Merced ranked among the top five colleges in the nation for social mobility, U.S. News & World Report said in 2025.
According to UC Merced, more than half of its students from households with incomes less than $120,000 graduate with no student debt. UC Merced has a number of academic scholarships available to potential students.
The 16 Arvin High students are expected to attend UC Merced starting in the fall semester, which begins Aug. 19, ABC23 reported.
