Bobcat Day shows off UC Merced

UC Merced may not have the name recognition of other colleges, but potential Bobcats who toured the UC system’s newest campus over the weekend said they were impressed with what it has to offer.

About 3,000 people registered for the 11th annual Bobcat Day, according to campus officials, although it was unclear how many people showed up for the open-house event.

Edgardo Castro, 18, made the drive north from Bakersfield with his mother for their first visit UC Merced.

“I feel like I’m blown away how beautiful this campus is,” he said.

A graduate of South Bakersfield High School, Castro said he didn’t get into his first choice of UC Santa Barbara. But he said he was pleased with what he saw in Merced and expects to be living in the dorms in the fall.

Such reactions are what the university hopes to hear more often.

According to a recent state audit of the UC system, only 3 percent of applicants admitted to UC Merced after being turned away from their preferred UC campus actually accepted the invitation.

According to Charles Nies, interim vice chancellor of student affairs, students who turn down a UC Merced invitation most commonly say they want to be closer to their homes, or their college counselors weren’t able to give them much information about the school.

In any case, he said, UC Merced is having no trouble filling its student body, and the number of students applying directly to the campus for the 2016-17 academic year has jumped by 14 percent. Currently with about 6,700 students, the campus will ramp up enrollment to grow to 10,000 by 2020.

On Saturday, the large, grassy quad on the campus and the walkway outside the library were covered with booths from campus clubs, educational departments and other sources on Bobcat Day. The visitors were able to ask questions about dorms, financial aid, academics and just about any part of campus life.

Pacheco High School graduate Sabrina Gonzalez said she didn’t have to come far from her home in Los Banos. The 17-year-old, who plans to study biology, said UC Merced was her first choice because of its science-heavy offerings.

“I really like this place. It’s secluded,” she said. “It’s small, so I don’t have to get lost on campus.”

Sabrina Melendrez, 37, Gonzalez’s mom, said she’s encouraging her daughter to attend UC Merced.

“I want her to be close to home, because on the weekends she can come home,” she said in Spanish as her daughter translated.

Many visitors took tours of the library, dorms, dining center and the greater campus. Organizers planned dance performances from clubs throughout the day, and the quad even held a huge, inflatable slide.

Enrique Lopez, another admitted student, said he was happy to see a “beautiful” and “clean” campus. The 18-year-old graduate of Rio Vista High School said he is used to living in a rural place, because his high school is about halfway between Lodi and Fairfield.

That doesn’t mean he was without any doubts of UC Merced.

“I was skeptical at first,” he said while sitting on a campus bench. “Now, I feel pretty confident.”

He said he hasn’t committed to the campus yet, but said he’s likely to be studying mechanical engineering in Merced in the fall.

The campus is farther from home than his mother, Angelica, would like, she said. But, the 36-year-old said, overall the campus seems like a good place to get an education.

“I like what I see,” she said in Spanish.

Campus officials have said getting high school students and their counselors to know about Merced remains a high priority and challenge. That’s where Bobcat Day and outreach efforts come in.

One Bobcat Day line was particularly long – the line for information on financial aid.

Stepping away from the table after getting her questions answered was Sabrina Christian, 17, of Los Angeles. She said one of her cousins already attended UC Merced.

“That’s how I heard about it,” she said. “(My cousin) said it’s cow country.”

So, it was no surprise to her to see the herds of cattle in the grassy fields in each direction from the school, she said. The rural landscape is a change of pace from her alma mater, View Park Preparatory High School on South Los Angeles’ Crenshaw Boulevard.

On the other hand, Christian said, San Francisco is only two hours away and UC Merced “gave me the most moolah.”

Another Los Angeles-based student said she’s eager to go to UC Merced. Cynthia Guerrero, 18 and a graduate of West Adams Preparatory High School, said she’s already committed to the Merced campus, which she visited once before on a high school club trip.

“I like it because it’s a new school,” she said. “There’s a lot of opportunities to get involved.”

Guerrero said she’s excited by the change of pace that a rural community could offer, and she couldn’t turn down the financial aid package offered by the campus.

Showing Merced’s campus to students who know little about this region plays a big part in attracting students, said Encarnacion Ruiz, the campus director of admissions.

“That’s the biggest indicator that they’re going to attend this campus,” he said.

Visitors are able to see the research facilities and other educational space, he said, and are able to speak with students who have already started their education at UC Merced.

“It is a good day for our guests,” he said.

This story was originally published April 17, 2016 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Bobcat Day shows off UC Merced."