Merced College’s South Merced Center at 640 T Street is now open as a walk-in connection to college classes, workforce training, youth programs and student support services. Located inside Stephen Leonard Youth Center, it is intended to bring college resources to the city’s south side. The college marked the opening with a family celebration at Stephen Leonard Park.
The City of Merced sought an organization to lease and operate the city-owned Stephen Leonard Youth Center, and Sierra Sun Times reports Merced College will run the site. The city selected the college earlier this year, KMPH reported, advancing the college’s goal of establishing a physical presence in South Merced. President Chris Vitelli told Yahoo News, “This partnership with the city of Merced creates an incredible opportunity to bring Merced College directly into the South Merced community.”
At the opening celebration, Vitelli said the college was coming to South Merced and would stay. He also recognized Kelly Avila and Joe Serena for leading the proposal development, facility preparation and outreach. Mayor Matthew Serratto praised the college’s investment in the community, calling its move into the heart of South Merced truly remarkable.
What Residents Said They Wanted
To gauge local interest, Merced College commissioned an independent survey of 288 South Merced residents in English and Spanish. Respondents said they or someone in their household would probably or definitely use the center. The strongest interest was in job training and skills development, college-credit courses, health and wellness classes, and College for Kids, according to the same mccd.edu announcement.
District 2 City Council member Yang Pao Thao, who represents the area and grew up in South Merced, told attendees that college is possible and opportunity is within young people’s reach. Before the opening, Merced College employees canvassed nearby neighborhoods to share information about the center with families.
Services Rolling Out in Phases
Services are expected to roll out in phases. The center will start with workshops, information sessions and connections to existing Merced College programs and support. Early offerings are expected to include study space, limited tutoring, financial-aid and college-application assistance, and career and transfer support, according to the Los Banos Enterprise. Yahoo News also reports plans for résumé and interview workshops, digital skills training and career counseling, as well as financial-aid assistance. The district is hiring a director for the center.
The director of the South Merced Center and community partnerships will lead the site and coordinate programming, outreach and community partnerships. Vitelli said the center’s longer-term development will depend on residents’ needs, community input, available funding and partnerships, according to the college’s announcement.
Spring Classes and an Allied-Health Training Room
Merced College plans to begin instructional offerings at the center in spring 2027, including a certified nursing assistant cohort. Sociology, English as a Second Language/English, and guidance courses have also been proposed for that term. The center is developing an educational hospital-room environment to give nursing students hands-on exposure to allied health careers.
Preparing the site involved classroom and office work, technology upgrades, murals and improvements to the adjacent basketball court. The Los Banos Enterprise reports the college donated park improvements valued at about $25,000, including a basketball-court mural, new hoops and related equipment.
A Growing College Looks South
The center opens as Merced College reports substantial district growth. The 2025-26 school year brought 21,722 students, an all-time high and more than a 40% increase since 2021-22. The college also awarded a record 3,416 degrees and certificates in 2024-25 and is offering 1,381 class sections this fall across in-person, hybrid and fully online formats, The Modesto Bee reported.
How South Merced Fits the College’s Local Presence
Merced College’s account of its Los Banos campus describes a different kind of expansion: by the end of the 2022-23 academic year, the campus was to add a building and hold its first full graduation ceremony there, scheduled for May 25, according to Merced College. That account does not specify the campus’s services or the student populations it serves. The distinction documented here is that Los Banos was expanding its campus, while South Merced is opening as a neighborhood center with services phased in and initial classes planned for spring 2027.
Joe Gutierrez, president of the Merced College Board of Trustees and its longest-serving member, welcomed attendees at the celebration in both English and Spanish. He kept his remarks short but pointed, telling the crowd there is a lot more to come. Community members can visit the South Merced Center at 640 T Street or call 209-384-6200 for more information.
