The Prodigy | Official Student Newspaper of the University of California, Merced

Lambda Raises Awareness Bi the Day

The world is not as black and white as we once thought it was. Since the onset of American culture various groups have striven for social justice and change, blending our black and white culture into various shades of grey. Today, we saw pink, purple, and blue added to the mix in honor of Bisexuality Awareness Week. Bisexuality Awareness Week ...

Vegan Outreach on Campus

This past Friday, our campus was visited by a familiar sight. For the past three years, vegan and animal cruelty activist Steve Erlsten has stopped by UC Merced on a journey that begins in Bakersfield, California and goes all the way to Ashland, Oregon. Along the way, Steve visits between 90 to 95 college campuses, stops by high schools when ...

Anchors Away! At Delta Gamma’s First Anchor Splash

On Saturday, September 19th, the Eta Rho chapter of Delta Gamma at UC Merced held their first annual Anchor Splash at El Capitan High School. The event was a fundraiser for Delta Gamma’s philanthropy organization, Service for Sight, as part of the sorority’s “Do Good Week.” Anchor Splash was made up of many small events and, while the winner only ...

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars Fall 2015: New Member Induction

On Saturday September 19th, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) chapter of UC Merced saw 37 new scholars inducted into their society. “I’m really happy with how the Induction Ceremony turned out,” says Breanne Orey, chapter president, “We couldn’t have done it without the help of Alpha Phi Omega, the IT Team, and Maggie Garcia”. In order to be ...

UCM Historical Society Makes History on Campus

Out of all our Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts (SSHA) students here at UC Merced, only 3% are history majors. Yet, despite the major’s relatively small student population, Historical Society is blossoming as one of the leading campus clubs. Supported by professors Ruth Mostern and Dr. Nathan Perry, their Undergraduate Historical Journal has become one of the few reputable historical ...

Lambda Raises Awareness with “Celebrate Bisexuality Day”

On Wednesday, September 23 Lambda Alliance, in collaboration with ASUCM and UCM faculty, will be hosting “Celebrate Bisexuality Day” in honor of Bisexuality Awareness Week. For the past three days Lambda has been tabling for their event by asking people what stereotypes the bisexual community faces not just from the student body but also from within the LGBT+ community itself. ...

Trebel App Offers a Better Alternative to Your Favorite Music

Are you a music lover but tired of paying for music from different apps that slowly put a dent in your savings account? Maybe you would like to have music for free but you’re afraid to be accused of illegally downloading music? Have you ever wondered what kind of music your peers are listening to? Well, the new Trebel app ...

Review of the Stanislaus County Fair!

The Stanislaus County Fair, located at the Turlock Fairgrounds, is home to great performances, rides, animal shows, exhibits, and a variety of tasty foods. The fair has excellent exhibits which showcase some of the talents around the county with art, paintings, and photography. Also, there is a garden area and a new interactive butterfly exhibit which has been one of ...

What Lies Behind the Mystical Doors in the SSM Building?

All throughout the school, there was not a single UC Merced Bobcat in sight. Scholars Lane was empty and quiet, to the point where it gave an almost post-apocalyptic vibe. It made perfect sense considering it was finals week and most students were either away in their dorms or in the library studying. Others were taking final exams or finishing ...

Top 5 TED Talks about Empowerment & Motivation

As summer climbs into full-swing, most of you have probably started thinking of next semester and all the challenges it will bring with it. I have compiled a list of five powerful TED talks which I believe every student needs to watch at some point during their University career. These are some incredible talks on the power of self-growth and ...

When the Cat’s Away, Cirque du Soleil: O Will Splash You Away!

In the summertime, many of us Bobcats enjoy spending our time with family, pursuing our hobbies, or sleeping. Many of us like to travel in this time off to some amazing places, Las Vegas being one of the more popular destinations. It’s easy to think Vegas has it all: fun for family and friends, sights to see, and delectable cuisine. ...

Bobcat Confessions Express Outrage on Eric Thomas’s Presentation

Within the past month UC Merced students have been expressing their outrage on social media on Eric Thomas’ motivational presentation that took place on the evening of April 24th in the Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater and was hosted by the Business Society. It is estimated that more than $25,000 was spent on Thomas’s one hour speech. Students felt that he only ...

Pinoy Pride at Pilipino Culture Night

UC Merced is known for having students from many cultural backgrounds. The Pilipino American Alliance is one of the many clubs on campus that represent the diverse cultural groups. On Saturday May 2nd and Sunday May 3rd PAA held a special event called Pilipino Cultural Night (PCN) to showcase the talent their club has to offer, as well as ...

UC Merced Celebrates 10th Commencement Ceremony

Over 1,000 Bobcats walked the stage at graduation during UC Merced’s 10th commencement ceremony. They are now a part of the nearly 4,000 other UC Merced alumni. This year’s graduating classes is the largest UC Merced class to date. A total of 1,075 bachelor’s degrees were awarded, in addition to 15 master’s degrees and 26 doctoral degrees. Students who ...

Dance-Off: The Ultimate Dance Battle of 2015

As the auditorium darkened, the three competing teams braced themselves for the biggest, most intense dance battle of the year. Each had spent at least the past few weeks practicing their routines. Their efforts would come to fruition at the second annual UC Merced Dance-Off hosted at the Merced Theater on May 2 Hundreds of students from UC ...

UC Merced Goes Greener

Earth day is a day when we get a chance to say “thank you” to Mother Nature and be environmentally friendly. UC Merced is known to be an environmentally friendly school and they proved in on this past Thursday, April 23. The stretch of Scholar’s Lane if front of the library was filled from end to end with tables and ...

Activism at The Eleventh Hour

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, UC Merced students took to the stage this Thursday in the Cat Quad to speak out against sexual assault and violence. CARE intern Jacky Garcia called the “Eleventh Hour” event “a showcase of art and expression created by individuals on campus to create a space where we can stand up against sexual violence.” ...

Cowchella: Not Just for the Cows

Imagine a nice warm summer afternoon. The Bowl has a few vendors, an inflatable bungee run, a Rockstar Energy Drink tent and a stage with hundreds of students gathered around. This is Cowchella. Every year the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and Office of Student Life (OSL) host an end-of-the-year music festival for students to enjoy themselves before finals week. The ...

Delving into the Roots of Sequoia Trees

Professor Stephen Hart, a UC Merced ecologist, was kind enough to discuss his passion and enthusiasm for the research that he is currently conducting in the Merced and Mariposa groves at Yosemite National Park. The giant sequoias are the gem on the diadem that is Yosemite National park and are known for their great height. However, what goes on in ...

Campus Quotes

What is the strangest thing you have seen at UC Merced? Kimberly Tran – Alumni: “Coming from San Diego, I’ve never encountered raccoons as I did here.” Samuel Leung – Senior: “The strangest thing I’ve seen was a raccoon dumpster diving.” Mike Steele – Senior: “People dressed like vegetables running around scholar’s lane.” Joshua Lourence – Senior: “Finding little ...