Project overview: Educate and inspire new environmental leaders through UC Merced–affiliated programs: an on-campus Wilderness Education Center, a two-year academic program, and summer internships in Yosemite.

How your support helps: The Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) has provided leadership and professional development opportunities for youth from Yosemite’s key gateway community of Merced for nearly 20 years. In partnership with the University of California, Merced, YLP offers an intensive two-year experience that connects college students to the park and builds a pipeline for permanent careers in public lands, ultimately shaping the next generation of environmental leaders. 

The experience includes an on-campus program, Student Ranger employment opportunities, and an in-park summer internship. The on-campus program offers four semesters of environmental studies, personal and professional development initiatives, and hands-on projects that encourage undergraduates to become lifelong stewards of public lands. Students Rangers employed at the on-campus UC Merced Wilderness Center help their community — and thousands of local schoolchildren — connect with Yosemite through educational resources, field trips, and stewardship projects. The final piece of the YLP experience is a 12-week summer internship in Yosemite, where students receive on-the-job training while working alongside park professionals. 

Yosemite Conservancy donors have supported the programs since the early 2000s, a steady investment, that has evolved YLP into a cohesive 64-week curriculum. Additionally, the summer internship — which grew out of an early Yosemite Association program — has expanded to serve more students and has earned “Direct-Hire Authority” status, which facilitates graduates’ access to National Park Service jobs.  

These programs have widespread, long-lasting impacts. Each year, YLP provides invaluable experiences for dozens of UC Merced students and 5,000+ schoolchildren through Student Ranger programming, ultimately opening a pathway to public-lands careers for students who might not otherwise have had the chance to visit or work in a national park. 

This year: In 2026, the Yosemite Leadership Program (YLP) will continue programming that serves youth and community members from Merced, while also working to improve and strengthen every part of the program. The two-year academic program curriculum will be reworked to better support students as they develop and carry out their mini-impact and capstone projects. The new designs will add more practice with public speaking, community building, research, project management, implementation, collaboration, and more. The summer internship program will shift to a new housing location in El Portal, offering interns more opportunities to network with colleagues across the park. The on-campus UC Merced visitor center, which employs Student Rangers, will expand outreach to encourage more students to connect with Yosemite-related resources and opportunities.

Learn more about the Yosemite Leadership Program and Wilderness Education Center on the UC Merced website. 

Project partners: Yosemite National Park; University of California, Merced; Merced City Schools