Introduction

Some twenty-five years ago, Merced County was untouched by urban development. Much like the rest of California's Central Valley, this rural county was defined by endless vistas of golden rolling hills, grain silos, and cows.

With its Mediterranean climate, fertile land, and efficient water distribution system, Merced County was, and still is, one of the largest agricultural producers in the country. Despite its $1.5 billion agricultural industry, Merced suffered from over 12 percent unemployment in the 1980s, and only five percent of high school graduates were finishing any kind of degree program.

And yet, perhaps unexpectedly, in 2005 Merced became home to the first research university built in the 21st century United States—the University of California Merced.

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