UC Mercd Magazine-Volume XVI, Issue 2

“Early career opportunities for students are a vital part of their college matriculation and growth as they begin the process of determining how and where they would like to begin their career,” said Joy Jackson-Guilford, director of strategic pipeline partnerships for biopharmaceutical firm AbbVie, a UC Merced partner employer. “Through our partnership with the Hispanic Serving Institution Career Collaborative, AbbVie has the opportunity to meet outstanding talent from universities like UC Merced, and students gain exposure to future career paths and opportunities through our early career programs,” Jackson-Guilford said. 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 H[SDQVLRQ RI WKHb &DPSDLJQ DQ LQLWLDWLYH DLPHG DW DFFHSWLQJ DQ DGGLWLRQDO \RXQJ SHRSOH RI FRORU LQWR the University of California and California State University V\VWHPV E\ 7KH &DPSDLJQ VWDUWHG LQ 6DFUDPHQWR 7KH 8& 0HUFHG initiative will focus on high school students in the Northern Central Valley — including Merced, Modesto, 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 SHUFHQW RI RXU XQGHUJUDGXDWHV DUH VWXGHQWV RI FRORU fully embraces this challenge to do even more." “What we are doing is igniting the fuel for our students of color to pursue higher educations,” Stanislaus State President Ellen Junn said. Campaign to Increase >> Students of Color (continued from page 11)

The initiative will target implementation efforts in high schools underperforming the state averages for graduation rates, A-G course completion rates, college-going rates, four-year college-going rates, expulsion, suspension, and free or reduced lunch. Attendees at the announcement, in UC Merced’s conference center, included Modesto City Schools Superintendent Sara Noguchi, who said 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,” she said. “I look forward to seeing the improvements we will see in our city and the whole state.”

A cohort of students spent a week at UC Merced over the summer to experience college life, during which campus officials joined them for a picnic at Lake Yosemite.

Chancellor Munoz engages student at 1300 campaign picnic

O’Bruba said some of OLSC’s services, such as an online job portal, remain open toUCMerced alumni, who in turn have been eager to “re-engage and help lift up current students.” “We may not have a lot of alumni compared to the other (UC) campuses, but they are continuing to open doors” for new graduates, he said.

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