When Merced College welcomed its very first students in 1962, there was no permanent campus yet. Classes were held at the fairgrounds, the college was still defining its identity, and the future was wide open—for both the institution and the students who believed in it from the very beginning.
Among those students were Dennis and Kathleen Chew, members of Merced College’s first graduating class, whose lives—and love story—began alongside the college itself.
They met in John Mehrens’ geology class during a year marked by major national events.
“That was the year President Kennedy was shot,” Dennis recalled. “When we walked into class, John was very somber. He told us what had happened, and it was a very quiet day.”
Despite the historical backdrop, Merced College was also a place of firsts and possibility. Dennis attended classes during the day and worked at night, balancing school and responsibility from the very beginning. As part of the geology course, students took field trips to places like Bagby and Mariposa, studying California’s landscape while building connections that would last well beyond the classroom.
They were also helping shape a brand-new college.
“We actually got to vote on the mascot,” Kathleen said. “It was a big deal—everyone was talking about it.”
That vote resulted in a name that has endured for more than 60 years: the Blue Devils.
What began as shared coursework slowly became something deeper.
“It definitely was not instant,” Kathleen said. “It was something that grew over many months—and then years, and now decades.”
After earning their associate degrees as part of Merced College’s first graduating class, both Dennis and Kathleen continued their education and went on to dedicate 30 years each to teaching. Their paths were influenced by instructors who recognized their potential early on.
“Several of the teachers here really encouraged me,” Dennis said. “They had a lasting impact on the direction I took.”
They married in 1966 in Yosemite Valley and built a life rooted in education, service, and curiosity—raising two sons, traveling extensively, hosting foreign exchange students, and remaining deeply connected to the Merced community.
That connection to Merced College carried into the next generation. Both of their sons attended Merced College before earning degrees and becoming educators themselves, now serving the same community where their parents’ journey began.
Now retired and preparing to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary, Dennis and Kathleen remain a living link to Merced College’s earliest days—a reminder that the college has always been about more than buildings or classrooms.
It has always been about people.
For Kathleen, the advice she offers today’s students reflects the guidance that shaped her own path: “Enjoy life, but keep a goal in mind. Have a goal—and pursue it.”
More than six decades after its first graduating class walked across the stage, Merced College continues to shape futures, start careers, and—sometimes—spark love stories that last a lifetime.