UC Merced celebrates 10th anniversary as students head back to class

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- U.C. Merced is beginning its second decade of operation with a new high in student enrollment, approximately 6,700 students compared with 6,268 last fall. The school is celebrating their 10th anniversary on September 5th.

This year a new academic building, which includes a classroom and office building two, is under construction and scheduled to open next year. There is also a $1 billion expansion proposal in the advanced stages of development, which once approved will help U.C. Merced grow to 10,000 students.

On Monday, about 1,700 first-year students crossed the scholars lane bridge and walked through the "beginnings sculpture." The ceremony marks the start of a new chapter in their lives. Graduates walk across the bridge in the opposite direction after receiving their degrees.