UC Merced was a much different place when Charles Nies, vice chancellor of student affairs, first arrived at the campus in 2006.
Back then the university just opened its doors the year before and had an enrollment of just under 1,300 students. Today, that number is well past 9,000 and climbing.
The university was also a much smaller place, mostly a collection of core buildings just over the Scholar’s Lane bridge. The campus has doubled in size since then, including a downtown campus center.
Even with that and much more on the horizon for the young university, it’s time for Nies to turn the page from his life as a Bobcat. As of July 1, Nies will be chancellor of the University of Minnesota Duluth, a position he accepted in March.
Since his time with UC Merced is winding down, it was only fitting that Nies give the university’s commencement speech to the Schools of Engineering and Natural Sciences.
Nies thanked his colleagues, graduates, administrators and students for the past 18 years. He said he and his partner Emily Langdon, an instructor of management and business economics at UC Merced, watched their daughters grow up in that time.
“You’ve taught me valuable new lessons that I will take with me to my new role. Lessons that have laid a foundation for UC Merced, and lessons that will guide your futures, as well as how I know they will guide mine,” Nies told the graduating class.
“The lessons that I have learned from you come in our shared time together at UC Merced, and as we both prepare to leave the campus, these lessons on determination, service and authenticity will inform how we show up, and take them to whatever is next.”
The Merced FOCUS also caught up with Nies following Saturday’s commencement, and asked how he was feeling, given that he is about to leave UC Merced. “What’s going through my mind is the amazing accomplishments of the scholars here at UC Merced,” Nies said.
“We’ve got fantastic students and it’s just the opportunity to celebrate with them is super exciting.”
UC Merced Chancellor Juan Sanchez Munoz called Nies one of the campus’ most reliable representations of institutional memory, as well as an unabashed cheerleader for higher education.
Munoz said Nies has mentored thousands of students at UC Merced, as well as teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in leadership theory, organizational theory, student development, social identity development.
“There’s virtually no corner of the campus that doesn’t bear his influence and his fingerprints and his wisdom,” Munoz said.
Nies holds two degrees from Washington State University — a doctorate in education administration and leadership and a master’s in counseling psychology. He received his bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Nies, a native to Minnesota, earned his undergraduate degree from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota and achieved a doctorate from Washington State University.
Before coming to the University of California, Nies worked in various administrative positions at other universities including as an assistant dean at Miami University in Ohio and a program director at Washington State University.
Weekend of graduation commencements
Nies’ Sunday speech capped off a three-day weekend of commencement ceremonies for UC Merced. Around 1,300 graduates crossed the stage in total during the weekend. On Sunday that included 253 graduates from the School of Engineering and 267 graduates from the School of Natural Sciences.
On Friday night, the commencement keynote speaker for graduate students was UC Merced professor Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, former director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
There were 27 master’s candidates recognized and 67 doctoral candidates hooded on Friday, according to the university.
Saturday’s commencement keynote speaker for the School for Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts was Castulo de la Rocha, president and CEO of AltaMed Health Services Corporation. Around 693 graduates crossed the stage during Saturday’s ceremony.
(For coverage by The Merced FOCUS of Saturday’s commencement ceremony, click here).
Gaza on the minds of some
Universities around the nation have seen some commencement ceremonies impacted – or canceled outright – due to protests over the war in the Gaza Strip.
Commencement ceremonies at UC Merced went forward without any disruptions. Some graduates in the audience did show solidarity with the Palestinian people in a variety of ways – from wearing traditional keffiyehs over their commencement gowns, to waving small Palestinian flags.
One graduate on Saturday received her degree on stage while carrying a “Free Palestine” flag.
The most dramatic demonstration of solidarity with Palestinians came Sunday after the commencement ceremony had wrapped up.
As families gathered to meet the graduates after the ceremony, a small group of around a dozen protestors stood on the lawn outside the Fred and Mitzie Ruiz Administration Building.
They held Palestinian flags and chanted slogans like “From Palestine to the Philippines, Stop the U.S. War Machine.”
The group also marched around the campus, and the demonstration was peaceful.