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ASCEND Student Experience

We are excited to welcome students back to campus for Fall 2021!

Every Fall, the ASCEND Student Experience is offered to help students with their academic transition to UC Merced. For Fall 2021, the ASCEND Experience is being expanded to include support and resources to help not just first-year but also, second-year students who will be "returning" to learning at UC Merced, but learning for the first-time in-person at UC Merced.

  • In-Person Workshops - If you prefer to participate in-person, there are workshop options available for you. Please note, in-person workshops will have a maximum attendance of 50 students. Masks must be worn at all times.
  • Online Workshops - Online sessions will be hosted through Zoom Webinar and you are required to log-in to Zoom with your UC Merced email address.

First-Year Students

All new UC Merced students will participate in the ASCEND activities during the first two weeks of the Fall 2021 semester. Workshop descriptions and details can be found further down this page.

Students will complete:

  • Two (2) live workshops (offered virtually or in person)
    • Bobcat 101 (final workshop was offered on 8/24/2021)
    • Time Management
  • "Classroom Learning Success" CatCourses Module (available August 19 via CatCourses)

Second-Year Students

Second Year students are encouraged to participate in activities specifically designed to support their first in-person term on campus. Workshop descriptions and details can be found further down this page.

Students will complete:

  • One live workshop (offered virtually or in person)
    • Bobcat 201
  • "Classroom Learning Success" CatCourses Module (available August 19 via CatCourses) 

Classroom AdvenTOURS image

Classroom AdvenTOURS

To help you prepare for your first days of instruction, we have partnered with the Welcome Center to host "Classroom AdvenTOURS". These classroom specific tours will help you locate buildings, find your classrooms & labs, and will ensure that you know how to navigate the campus like an experienced Bobcat!

With seven tours happening daily between August 20th and 29th, there is sure to be a time that's right for you. To see available tour times or to sign-up, visit:

https://uc-merced.foleon.com/admissions/classroom-tours/home/

Tracking Completion

All first year and first semester transfer students are expected to participate in the ASCEND Experience, however, your completion of ASCEND is by honor system.

Bobcat 101

Building off what you learned through Orientation, this workshop dives deeper into UC Merced’s academic experience, including structure, expectations and resources for success.

Time Management

Make the best use of time for studying, work and fun!  An interactive scheduling activity will allow students to calculate time for responsibilities and celebrate the remaining hours for involvements.

Bobcat 201

Second year students - you've had a year learning remotely, but there is more to the academic experience than Zoom or recordings; learn more about how to be successful as a sophomore at UC Merced through this workhsop.

Bobcat 101

Students will have the opportunity to participate in virtual or in-person sessions. Sessions were offered August 13th-August 24th; no additional sessions are planned.

Please note - UC Merced Single Sign-On authentication is required to participate in any of the ASCEND virtual experiences. To do so, be sure to select "Sign In with SSO" when you log-in to Zoom, from there, enter your UC Merced email address or, you can enter "ucmerced" as the company domain - from there, you will log-in to your UC Merced account.

Time Management

Learn how to make the most of your time. Practical tools will be provided! Bring a syllabus from a current class.

  1. Monday, 8/23 - 12:00-1:00pm - Online - Register here
  2. Tuesday, 8/24 - 12:00-1:00pm - In-Person; Classroom & Office Building 2 (COB2) 140
  3. Wednesday, 8/25 - 3:00-4:00pm - In-Person; Kolligian Library (KL) 209
  4. Thursday, 8/26 - 11:30am-12:30pm - Online - Register here
  5. Friday, 8/27 - 11:30am-12:30pm - Online - Register here
  6. Monday, 8/30 - 11:00am-12:00pm - In-Person; Granite Pass 103
  7. Tuesday, 8/31 - 2:00pm-3:00pm - Online - Register here
  8. Thursday, 9/2 - 3:00-4:00pm - In-Person; Granite Pass 103

Please note - UC Merced Single Sign-On authentication is required to participate in any of the ASCEND virtual experiences. To do so, be sure to select "Sign In with SSO" when you log-in to Zoom, from there, enter your UC Merced email address or, you can enter "ucmerced" as the company domain - from there, you will log-in to your UC Merced account.

Bobcat 201

Sophomores, learn more about what it means to be a Bobcat and to learn in-person. Whether it's developing new or improving old academic skills and strategies or getting a better understanding of the differences between a UC education through Zoom or recordings and being in a classroom or lab, this session is specifically designed to help you in your first-semester learning in-person at UC Merced.

  1. Tuesday, 8/24 - 12:00-12:45pm - In-Person; Classroom & Office Building 2 (COB2) 140
  2. Wednesday, 8/25 - 2:00-2:45pm - Online - Register here
  3. Thursday, 8/26 - 9:00-9:45am - Online - Register here
  4. Thursday, 8/26 - 3:00-3:45pm - Online - Register here
  5. Friday, 8/27 - 11:00-11:45am - Online - Register here
  6. Monday, 8/30 - 12:00-12:45pm - In-Person; Granite Pass 103
  7. Wednesday, 9/1 - 1:00-1:45pm - In-Person; Granite Pass 103
  8. Thursday, 9/2 - 2:00-2:45pm - In-Person; Granite Pass 103
  9. Friday, 9/3 - 11:00-11:45am - Online - Register here

Please note - UC Merced Single Sign-On authentication is required to participate in any of the ASCEND virtual experiences. To do so, be sure to select "Sign In with SSO" when you log-in to Zoom, from there, enter your UC Merced email address or, you can enter "ucmerced" as the company domain - from there, you will log-in to your UC Merced account.

This site is maintained by the Division of Student Affairs. To submit questions or suggestions about this site, please contact studentsfirst@ucmerced.edu.
Learn more about campus safety precautions and associated information about UC Merced at Campus Ready.