Foreword

Dear Merced College Colleagues,

As I write this, votes are still being counted and verified in Merced County, but Measure P in Los Banos appears certain to pass. The bond measure will provide more growth and improvements to our already amazing Los Banos Campus, and we are so grateful for the voters, volunteers, donors and others who helped ensure that students on the Westside will have the best possible educational experience. Speaking of being thankful, November is certainly the month for gratitude. Each year, we celebrate Veterans Day by joining with Merced Sunrise Rotary to give thanks for our military veterans through the Field of Honor display on the front lawn of our Merced Campus. Then, after enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday and remembering everything we’re grateful for, we move on to Giving Tuesday and turn our gratitude into generosity. And so, we thought it was appropriate to focus this month’s issue of the Blue Devil’s Advocate on those two themes that are such an important part of our culture at Merced College: gratitude and generosity. In this issue, you’ll get to meet our remarkable students in the Rising Scholars program—incarcerated students who have succeeded academically, achieving recognition by the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society, and who have made it their mission to give back. Both the men at Valley State Prison and the women at the Central California Women’s Facility are holding fundraisers among their peers and then donating money to support students here on campus. Giving truly knows no limits, and we are so proud of these students. Likewise, our Merced College alumni can always be counted on to support those who follow them. Joel Macias, Miguel Tapia and Frank Sanchez are three young alumni who are early in their careers, but they have already teamed up to create a new scholarship fund for current students. They are giving back because Merced College was such a formative place for them in their lives and careers, and we are inspired by and grateful for them. You may have seen the boxes of “Kudos and More” cards all around campus. This initiative is the most tangible and visible way we are working to infuse gratitude into our culture. You’ve heard me talk about the science of happiness, and the science of gratitude is just as compelling—read more about why feeling grateful and expressing thanks and praise are so powerful, and then go fill out a Kudos card for a colleague. Lastly, we asked you all what you’re most grateful for about working at Merced College, and your responses were absolutely heartwarming. Check them out in the Team feature at the end of this issue. Personally, I could not be more grateful to be at Merced College, working alongside such an incredible, committed, and fun-loving group of people. Your generosity to our students motivates me every day to do my best—not just for them, but for you. Thank you so much for everything you do to make this such a special place.

Sincerely,