Published: Tuesday, 06 April 2021 05:56 The FACTS Bridge Program is a new internship designed to immerse students in agricultural science and research. April 6, 2021 - By Elizabeth Arakelian and Leigh Bernacchi, UC Merced - Many students don’t think about internships until later in college, but at UC Merced undergraduate students can take advantage of hands-on training with faculty before even starting regular classes. Through the FACTS Bridge Program, first-year and transfer students get a head start on research and much more. The FACTS Bridge Program is a new internship designed to immerse students in agricultural science and research. It stands for San Joaquin Valley Food and Agriculture Cyberinformatics Tools and Science (FACTS). The six-week summer course, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, introduces students to the world of research in agricultural science and technology.