Christopher Caskey joins the UC Merced Library staff this spring and summer as the UC Merced Oral Histories Project Coordinator. With support from Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz, the Library is conducting a pilot project to record and preserve the stories of those who have contributed to the founding of UC Merced. The project aims to add a range of perspectives to the historical record, from community members who can speak to the changes the campus has brought to the region, to pioneering faculty, staff, and students.
Chris completed his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Humanities at UC Merced in 2024. He has worked as a graduate student assistant for the Gateway to Merced oral history project and as a graduate editorial assistant for California History with UC Press. Prior to his graduate studies, Chris was a staff reporter at several local papers. He is a native of Modesto and has witnessed the founding of the campus and been a part of its growth.
As we welcomed Chris onboard, we gave him the opportunity to answer a few questions:
What are you looking forward to in your role as the new Oral Histories Project Coordinator?
I’m most looking forward to hearing more about something I followed closely while growing up in the San Joaquin Valley. While the campus was going to open after I went to college, I still followed all of the news and drama through local media. So I am excited to hear important stories and insights that didn’t make the front pages and TV news reports that I was consuming at the time.
What would you like to accomplish or learn in your new role?
As a historian, I understand how valuable firsthand accounts are for archival researchers. I hope that one or more of the accounts collected by this project will be used someday by a scholar or writer telling their own stories that somehow involve UC Merced.
How have your past experiences prepared you for your new role?
I have experience collecting oral history interviews, so I think that helps prepare me for this project. But I believe my experience living much of my childhood and adult life in the San Joaquin Valley will inform my approach to this project. I understand both the town and the gown perspectives.
What is one thing that you enjoy about being a part of the UC Merced community?
I always root for the underdogs. I feel like UC Merced has been an underdog since its inception.
What is one thing/fact that most people don’t know about you?
I love coaching little youth baseball. I’m trying to convince my 9 year old son to be my assistant coach when his 2 year old sister starts tee ball in a few years.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
The fish aren’t going to bite if you keep watching that pole.
