Program Helped Her Finish a Degree After 14 Years. Now She's Helping Others

By Patty Guerra, UC Merced

January 22, 2025

Lilly Uvalle graduated from UC Merced in December.

It took Lilly Uvalle a few tries to complete her education at UC Merced.

Uvalle started her collegiate career in the fall of 2010 after graduating from Buhach Colony High School in Atwater.

"I did two years, my freshman and sophomore years," she said. "Then I withdrew. I tried coming back once in 2013 and withdrew again. Then I tried coming back in 2017."

Family obligations, mental health concerns and feeling overwhelmed by what it would take to get back to school got in the way. Then, in 2022, something changed.

Staff at the university's Degree Completion Program reached out to Uvalle, offering to help her navigate the system.

"I thought I couldn't come back because it had been such a long time," she said. "I thought my credits probably expired."

She was assured that wasn't the case, and so with a mental health diagnosis and with her children in school, Uvalle started back at UC Merced. She graduated last month with a degree in public health. And in January, she started a fulltime position in the Degree Completion Program, where as a reentry advisor she is helping students get back on their educational path.

Uvalle's experience is a great fit for her new position, said Annette Roberts Webb, dean of University Extension, which oversees the program.

"We are so thrilled to have her join us as a staff member on the degree completion team because she has the lived experience and credibility to be able to reach out to other students about their academic journey."

The Degree Completion Program is aimed at eliminating many of the hurdles people face when trying to return to school.

Uvalle's first attempts were difficult. "I had to do a lot of digging, just figuring out who to talk to and what forms needed to be filled out," she said. "This time around, I just filled out one form and that was it."

Program staff works with departments around the university, including financial aid, admissions and academic advising.

"It's not like, 'Here's some contact info, and good luck,'" Uvalle said. "It's so much easier now."

Part of Uvalle's job is reaching out to students who have either withdrawn from UC Merced or been dismissed due to academic struggles. The program began in 2022 and has served more than 600 students, of whom 95 have successfully completed their degrees and 206 are enrolled at UC Merced.

The program helps students navigate challenges and barriers with a one-stop model. Students receive support to prepare for readmission and get questions answered prior to making the commitment to return. The program completes degree audits on each student prior to outreach to create a personalized plan for when the student reengages with UC Merced.

In addition, the program has improved the process for students who are academically dismissed to increase the likelihood of returning through proactive communication and planning.

In addition to former UC Merced students, the program supports people who have attended college courses elsewhere in identifying pathways to continue their education, including referrals through advocacy to other colleges and universities that meet their needs.

While there is no cost to students for participating in the program, they still are met with tuition and fees upon reentry or in completing certificate or open university courses. Financial aid is available for some students, while others require institutional or program scholarships. To date, the program has supported the awarding of over $400,000 in scholarships toward outstanding balances and course tuition. Donations are accepted to help cover costs.

There are options outside of returning to classes on campus. That is a surprise to some students, Uvalle said. They can complete lower division coursework at a community college, or if they are missing just a single class they might be able to take it online during a summer session.

"When you withdraw or get dismissed, you're in a stressful, sad situation," Uvalle said. "To think about having to do this huge process of having to figure out how to come back, you really need to trust the people in the program and reach out."

Before starting as a fulltime staffer with the program, Uvalle was a student employee. She helped her family members tackle the paperwork for their college experiences, as well - her brother and sister have mechanical engineering degrees from UC Merced.

"I literally found a family at the UC," she said. "Finishing my degree was something that I wanted since I was in high school. To finish it was everything."

Now she is excited to help others make their own achievements.

"I went through the struggle. I've been there; I know how it feels and I can relate," she said. "I feel like it was just a perfect opportunity to return what was given to me to students who are in the same position that I was in."

Patty Guerra