Student Success
Mustang Media Group Wins College Media Company of the Year for Third Consecutive Year, Earns 44 Additional Awards
Within the past month, Mustang Media Group took home a total of 45 awards, including 13 for first place. Most notably, MMG has been named the national College Media Company of the Year for the third consecutive year, a remarkable feat within college media.
Learn more about the group's impressive 45 awards.
From Student to Global Intern
Last summer, third year student Nico Julia had the internship experience of a lifetime at the French Embassy in Serbia. Julia spent the summer abroad working on several projects ranging from website development to promoting a sustainability contest to networking with international scientists and researchers on behalf of the French government.
Learn how Julia marketed his skills to create his perfect internship in Serbia.
Pitching the Parks
A new Cal Poly graduate project invites students from around the nation to imagine a brighter future for America’s public lands.
Read more about the Sierra Sustainability Summit.
Digging Deeper
As future archaeologists honed their skills on an excavation site, a Japanese American family — forcibly removed from their home by incarceration — reconnected to their roots.
Read the story from Cal Poly Magazine.
Psychology Student Receives CSU Trustees’ Award and $7,000 Scholarship
A first-generation psychology student, who is attending the university alongside her own children, has received a 2024 California State University Trustees’ Scholar Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Read more about Maileen Mamaradlo.
Political Science and History Student Selected for Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program
Patrick Henry, a third-year student dual majoring in political science and history from Redondo Beach, Calif., will serve as Cal Poly’s 2024 representative to the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about the Panetta Institute program.
Cal Poly Students Win National Design Competition by Rebranding a Local Small Restaurant
After a year of research and development, a team of Cal Poly students won first place in the Phoenix Challenge, a national competition where students help small businesses market and rebrand through sustainable packaging design and flexographic printing.
Read more about the interdisciplinary project.
President’s Diversity Award Student Winner Honored as 2024 CLA 'Great Grad'
Cristian Reyes arrived at Cal Poly in the fall of 2020 as a “naive and eager” biology student. Four years later the child development major is poised to graduate with plans this fall to pursue a master’s degree.
Learn more about his time at Cal Poly and plans for the future.
'Indigenous People Are Still Here.' Student-Led Campus Tour Highlights Native Connections
Like most public spaces in California, Cal Poly lies on land originally held by Indigenous people — in this case, the yak titʸu titʸu yak tiłhini (ytt) Northern Chumash tribe. That connection — along with other campus ties to Native culture and history — is being explored in a new interactive campus tour developed by students.
Learn more about the SURP project and tour.
'These Women Were Lost to History.' Students Curate Museum Exhibit on SLO's Hidden Voices
A new historical exhibit in San Luis Obispo delves into the lives of four women who were pillars of the local community — and it was co-curated by two Cal Poly students. “Hidden Voices,” which is currently on display at the History Center of San Luis Obispo County, was the product of nearly two years of work by recent anthropology and geography graduate Zoë Levit and fourth-year history major Jess O’Leary.
Rose Float History Blooms on Campus Thanks to a Senior Project
On New Year’s Day, millions of viewers around the world watched Cal Poly universities’ award-winning float, “Shock n’ Roll: Powering the Musical Current,” motor down Colorado Boulevard at the 2024 Rose Parade. Now, Mustangs can soak up some storied flower power on campus — thanks to a senior project that recently livened up a study space in the Julian A. McPhee University Union.
Learn more about the two-part project.
From Sketch to Stage
Last summer, fourth-year art and design student Julia Neils and fifth-year interdisciplinary studies student Natalie Rathle spent eight weeks researching, dyeing and sewing costumes for Festival Mozaic productions as part of their Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP+) project.
Learn more about the research project.
Learn by Doing Research Will Be On Display at the 2023 SURP+ Symposium
Faculty, staff and students are invited to learn about student research within the College of Liberal Arts by engaging with 15 student-faculty research and creative activity projects completed in summer 2023 as part of the CLA's Summer Undergraduate Research Programs (SURPs).
Learn more about the 11 CLA projects that will be on display.
Political Science Student Selected for 2023 Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program
Danielle “Dani” Bello, a fourth-year political science student from San Carlos, CA, will serve as Cal Poly’s 2023 representative to the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about the Panetta Institute program.
Beating the Heat: Students Map California Tree Canopy to Cool Cities as Climate Warms
This summer, a group of students are embarking on a groundbreaking project: mapping tree canopy cover in California.Tree canopies, which provide shade, can offset the heat island effect in cities. The effect is caused by buildings, roads and other human-made infrastructure absorbing and then re-emitting heat. In a warming climate, the heat island effect only intensifies, making cities hotter than ever.
Read more about the group's research.
Political Science Student Details Internship with LGBTQ+ Victory Institute in Washington, D.C.
Last fall, fourth-year political science student Edwin Madrid interned with the LBGTQ+ Victory Institute as part of the fall 2022 Victory Congressional Internship cohort. Madrid was one of eight students selected for the 10-week program, working with a member of the LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus or an LGBTQ-friendly member of the U.S. Congress to experience the federal legislative process firsthand.
Read more about Madrid's time working with a member of Congress.
Disability Alliance Club Leader Recognized as CLA's 2023 'Great Grad'
M.W. Kaplan weathered a worldwide pandemic with a compromised immune system and will leave Cal Poly inspired by the potential the future holds.
Read more about their work creating the Cal Poly Disability Alliance Club.
Cal Poly Graphic Communication Student Team Wins First Place at Graphic Arts Conference
Cal Poly won the prestigious Helmut Kipphan Cup at the annual conference of the Technical Association of the Graphic Arts (TAGA), held March 12-15 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Read more about TAGA's award-winning journal.
Creative Sustainability: Cal Poly Team Gets Global Recognition for Innovative Packaging Design
After setting out to design a sustainable package for produce, an interdisciplinary team of Cal Poly students looked to other packages for inspiration – including beer carriers. The team's project began as a collaboration between Fiber-Based Packaging, an ITP class, and Graphic Design III, from the Art and Design Department.
Read more about the interdisciplinary project team.
MLK Legacy Winner Talks Leadership and Community
At Cal Poly’s annual MLK Jr. Legacy Event this past February, Nailah DuBose, a second-year psychology major, won the MLK Legacy Award — making her only the second student to ever win the award.
Read DuBose's interview with Cal Poly News.
Chinese New Year Parade Represents Homecoming, Traditions for Mustang Band Members
The parade, sponsored by Alaska Airlines and run by the San Francisco Chinese Chamber of Commerce, is part of the largest Lunar New Year celebration in the world outside of Asia. This past February marked the eighth time the Mustang Band has performed in the parade since 2014.
Read more about the performance.
Cal Poly’s Student-Run Hackathon Builds Interdisciplinary Solutions to Local Challenges
Leticia Mezzetti, a liberal arts and engineering studies student, was part of the interdisciplinary team of students who recently won the top prize at Camp PolyHacks for their anonymous blog space, dubbed Lumi, designed to help marginalized groups build community.
Work Local, Think Global: Student Serves Home District on Capitol Hill
In the fall, history major Ethan Gutterman headed to Washington to work in the office of Congressmember Brad Sherman as Cal Poly’s 2022 representative to the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about Gutterman's time on Capitol Hill.
Cal Poly Students Honored by Lawmakers at State Capitol
On Monday, Jan. 30, nineteen Cal Poly students were recognized for their awards, hard work and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the state Assembly and Senate in Sacramento. Meet the three students who represented the College of Liberal Arts.
Read more about the honored students.
Orchesis Dance Company's Performance of "Falling Forward" Reaches New Heights
The 53rd annual show was a mosaic of 12 diverse performances — mostly contemporary dance with highlights of delicate ballet, traditional Folklórico, jazz, and hip hop. Underneath the spectacle, the show is a capstone experience for students in the Theatre and Dance Department, paralleling the artistic and technical rigor a professional dancer undergoes in preparation for a concert.
Read more about the impressive performance.
All Rise — the Class is in Session
From July to October 2022, journalism student Nico Viñuela reported on the Kristin Smart murder trial for Cal Poly’s student-run news organization, Mustang News, representing the only college media publication attending and covering the trial.
Read more about his months-long Learn by Doing experience.
Meet the 2022 Cal Poly Rose Float Hydraulics and Engine Lead, History Student Collin Marfia
History student Collin Marfia will be one of four students who will ride unseen aboard the Cal Poly Universities’ award-winning float, “Road to Reclamation,” as the float engineer at the 2023 Rose Parade in Pasadena.
Read more about his journey on the team.
Political Science Student Annie Kettmann's Team Wins Cal Poly's Change the World Challenge Award
Last Spring, political science student Annie Kettmann was part of a group that won first place at the inaugural Change the World Challenge. She wrote a recap of her experience working on the project.
Read her account of the experience below.
Literature in the Landscape: English Students Study Abroad in Scotland and England
In summer 2022, 17 students and two professors from the Cal Poly English Department visited the English Lake District and Edinburgh, Scotland as part of a new Cal Poly Global Program for an immersive experience of literature in the landscape.
Learn more about their travels and studies.
International Exchange Student Wins Prestigious CSU Media Award
On October 26, 2022, international exchange student Selina Madeira Dolscheid won the CSU Media Arts Award for Best Short Screenplay at the prestigious CSU Media Arts Festival.
Learn more about Dolscheid's film, "Embraer E-175."
Learn by Doing on Display at the Second Annual SURP Symposium
On October 14, 2022 student researchers from the second annual CLA Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) shared their research at the SURP+ Symposium, showcasing a diverse group of 11 hands-on projects led by faculty experts alongside 15 student researchers.
Learn more about the CLA's 2022 SURP projects.
Being In the Room: Meet New ASI President Gracie Babatola
This fall, third-year Gracie Babatola began her term as ASI president. Babatola is majoring in political science and minoring in ethics, public policy, science and technology. Recently, Babtola sat down with Cal Poly News to talk about her goals for the coming year and what it means to serve others.
Read more and get to know Gracie.
History Student Becomes First Cal Poly Scholar Selected for Congressional Internship in D.C.
Ethan Gutterman, a third-year history major and ethics, public policy, science and technology minor from the San Fernando Valley, will serve as Cal Poly’s 2022 representative to the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about Gutterman and the program.
Outstanding CLA Graduate Ready to Embrace a Future Shaped from Learn by Doing
When Nikki Trucco considered a college to attend, the student-athlete knew it would need to fulfill dual priorities. And in the past three years, despite the COVID-cancellation of the 2020 season, the child development major succeeded as an athlete and a scholar — balancing soccer, school and a social life.
Read more about Trucco and Cal Poly's other "great grads."
Cal Poly Students’ Sustainable Packaging Design for San Luis Obispo Business Wins First Place in National Competition
After a year of research and development, a team of Cal Poly students gained hands-on experience designing new sustainable packaging and labels for a San Luis Obispo-based gourmet cupcake and dessert business — and took first place for its effort.
Cal Poly’s Mustang Media Group Wins Best Newspaper Along With 16 Other Awards at National Journalism Conference
Cal Poly’s student-run news source, Mustang Media Group, won 17 awards at this year’s Associate Collegiate Press (ACP) Conference in Long Beach, California.
Cal Poly Spanish Language Debate Team Prepares for Upcoming Competitions
In 2017, Cal Poly’s Debate Team added a new component for bilingual students to participate in both English and Spanish debates.
Read more about the team and its upcoming competitions.
Mustang Band, Cheer and Dance Teams Bring the Beat — And Pizzazz — to San Francisco’s Chinese New Year Parade
The Cal Poly Mustang Band helped celebrate the Year of the Tiger at the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco. The Feb. 19 performance marked the marching band’s seventh time participating in the Lunar New Year celebration.
Political science student uses trip abroad as senior project research
In June 2020, political science senior Denae Hollar took off for Costa Rica. Originally planned as a volunteer trip, Hollar decided to use her experience as research for her impending senior project on democracy and global food security.
Read more about Hollar's trip.
English student Avi McManus helps lead Cal Poly Rose Float team to victory
Fourth-year English student Avi McManus played a key role in leading the 2021-2022 Cal Poly Rose Float team to victory last week at the 2022 Rose Parade® in Pasadena, acting as the San Luis Obispo team’s vice president.
Cal Poly Music Department Releases Fall 2021 Events Calendar
After more than a year without in-person concerts and performances, Cal Poly’s Music Department is back with live events starting in October.
Journalism Senior Roselyn Romero Breaks National News with Reporting on Fake Vaccination Cards
Roselyn Romero, a Cal Poly journalism senior, broke the story during her investigative journalism internship at The Associated Press (AP).
Read more about Romero's story.
Public Policy Student Christine Lam Receives CSU Trustees' Award
Graduating political science major Christine Lam is starting the CLA's Master of Public Policy Program after receiving the selective California State University Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Read more about Lam's award and how she plans to use it to support her education.
College of Liberal Arts Recognized at This Year's President's Diversity Awards Ceremony
Among the award recipients was the College of Liberal Arts Student Diversity Committee, a student group that advises the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) dean on ways that CLA can improve and provide resources for students from marginalized backgrounds.
Cal Poly Music Department to Present Multiple Virtual Shows This Month
This month, Cal Poly’s Music Department will put on at least three virtual concerts before the end of spring quarter.
Political Science Student Wins First Place at CSU Research Competition
Political science senior Isabella Abelgas won first place for the Business, Economics and Hospitality Management category of this year’s California State University (CSU) Systemwide Student Research Competition.
Read more about the competition.
Cal Poly's Mustang Media Group wins 37 national and state awards at CCMA and CMBAM ceremonies
Mustang Media Group won a total of 37 national and state awards at this year's College Media Business and Advertising and California Collegiate Media Association virtual ceremonies.
Read More Student Success Stories
Cal Poly Child Development Students and Alumni Overcome Challenges Amid Virtual Learning
Recent alumni, as well as current child development students, are facing various challenges as they begin their careers in education online. Here's how some of them are overcoming these challenges.
Read more about the students and alumni teaching virtually.
Cal Poly Theatre and Dance puts on two virtual shows this quarter
The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting limitations have hit the performing arts industry pretty hard. But while other theatre and dance companies struggle to create productions using online platforms such as Zoom, Cal Poly’s theatre and dance department is using the stay-at-home order to their advantage.
Read more about the productions.
Spanish classes participate in virtual exchange with Argentine students
World languages and cultures professor Silvia Marijuan decided to give her Spanish language students a new virtual exchange experience with students from her own country of origin: Argentina.
Jazz Ensemble Releases Album
Spring quarter's virtual jazz rehearsals culminated in the soon-to-be released album titled "Another time, another place."
Cal Poly history students collaborate with American University at Kuwait students for history classes
As virtual learning started to become the new reality fall quarter, history professor Farah Al-Nakib saw an opportunity for her History 313 The Modern Middle East students.
Read more about the virtual exchange.
English Student Helps Organize Virtual Cal Poly Rose Float Parade
English major Avi McManus is the Communications Manager for the Cal Poly Team and helped organized this year's Cal Poly virtual rose float competition.
Read more about the virtual competition.
World Language and Cultures classes incorporate virtual global engagement workshops in lieu of a cancelled abroad program
After her study abroad program in Sicily was cancelled due to Covid-19, ethnic studies professor Elvira Pulitano decided to offer students a different kind of virtual abroad experience this year.
Read more about the virtual workshops.
Cal Poly Debate Team received national recognition on a few separate occasions this year
Cal Poly’s Debate Team has recently received some acclaim for both ranking in the top five teams at the Schuman Challenge and finishing the Social Justice Debates Opener as semifinalists.
Read more about the team's success.
Six Cal Poly Graphic Communication Students Won PIASC Awards
Six Cal Poly students placed in the top three for both the Printing Industry Association of Southern California (PIASC) 2020 Poster Competition and the PIASC 2020 Packaging Competition.
Six CLA Students Are Participating in Munich University of Applied Sciences Virtual Abroad Program
This fall, six of twelve Cal Poly students selected to the Munich University of Applied Sciences’ (MUAS) International Virtual Innovation Challenge are from the College of Liberal Arts.
Read more about the virtual program.
Packaging and Graphic Design Students Win Gold at National Competition
With their focus on highlighting the joy and interactivity of unboxing a product, three interdisciplinary Cal Poly teams received first place, honorable mention, and shout-out awards at the Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) 2019 Student Design Challenge.
Read more about the competition.
Journalism student Omar Rashad offered paid fellowship at the CalMatters College Journalism Network
Cal Poly journalism student Omar Rashad is one of 14 college journalists to be selected for a paid fellowship with the CalMatters College Journalism Network.
Read more about the Rashad's fellowship.
Two students to serve on Western Psychological Association Student Council
Psychology students Rebecca Luenser and America Romero were selected to represent Cal Poly on the Western Psychological Association Student Council for the 2020-21 academic year.
Read more about the representatives.
Cal Poly's Mustang Media Group Wins 19 National Awards
Mustang Media Group, the Cal Poly Journalism Department’s student-run integrated media organization, won 19 awards at a virtual awards ceremony for college press and media.
Bandfest Performed Virtually on Nov. 15
Nearly 300 Cal Poly students virtually presented the annual Bandfest concert on Sunday, Nov. 15. The event included performances from Cal Poly's Wind Ensemble, Mustang Marching Band and Wind Orchestra
Read more about the virtual bandfest.
What Does a Congressional Internship Look Like Without Trip to D.C.? Panetta Intern Shares What He Learned
Earlier this year, Imahn Daeenabi, a fourth-year political science major from Menlo Park, California, was selected as Cal Poly’s 2020 representative to the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about Daeenabbi's experience.
An Update on Student Media: How Is Mustang Media Group Continuing to Operate Virtually
The Journalism Department has gone virtual, and Mustang Media Group continues to innovate in the ways they bring news to the campus community.
Read more about Mustang Media Group during COVID-19.
From Bell Covers to Virtual Rehearsals, Mustang Band Adapts to COVID-19
Cal Poly kicked off the new academic year with commonsense adaptations to the coronavirus pandemic: a hybrid learning plan, postponed athletics competitions, and virtual events, among many other changes.
Read more about Mustang Band during COVID-19.
Q&A With President of CLA Ambassadors Christine Lam
Christine Lam is a political science senior at Cal Poly's College of Liberal Arts and she is the new president for College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Ambassadors, a group of CLA students involved in outreach and leadership within the college. Lam was also the Cal Poly representative to the Panetta Congressional Internship in 2019.
Read more about Lam and CLA Ambassadors.
Sign of the Times: Students Use Graphic Communication Skills To Promote COVID Safety Measures
Since July, the students operating University Graphic Systems have been making the signs that show people how to get around campus buildings while maintaining social distance, among other things.
Read more about University Graphic Systems.
Psychology Senior America Romero Awarded Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Aimed at Preparing Future CSU Faculty
Psychology senior America Romero is one of two Cal Poly students who have been selected as pre-doctoral fellows through the California Polytechnic State University (CSU)’s Sally Casanova Scholars Program.
Read more about Romero's fellowship.
'We're Doing What The Pros Are Doing.' Student Media Endures in Face of COVID-19
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in mid-March, Cal Poly’s student media leadership knew they had to find a way to keep operating and serving the community.
Learn more about Mustang Media Group's coverage
'We're Just Going to Keep Making Music.' Choir Performance Comes Together Online"
When Cal Poly took its classes virtual this spring and canceled all live campus events, director of choral actives Scott Glysson figured that there would be no choir this quarter. Who would sign up for an ensemble that couldn’t meet? To Glysson’s surprise, more than 100 students signed up anyway.
Learn more about the virtual ensemble
Political Science Student Accepted to Panetta Congressional Internship Program
Imahn Daeenabi, a third-year political science major from Menlo Park, California, will serve as Cal Poly’s 2020 representative to the Panetta Institute’s Congressional Internship Program.
Learn more about the Panetta Internship
Cal Poly Choirs to Present Virtual Concert on June 8
The choirs will perform selections they have been working on through online rehearsals this quarter and works they were going to perform at the Winter Concert, which was canceled due to the shelter-in-place order. There will also be a post-concert talk.
Learn more about the choir's virtual concert'
Cal Poly’s ‘RSVP XXV: Call and Response’ to be Presented in Virtual Episodes
The Cal Poly Music Department’s student production ensemble RSVP will present “RSVP XXV: Call and Response” in three video episodes starting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 4-6.
Learn more about 'RSVP XXV: Call and Response'
The Show Must Go On: More than 100 Students Create A Virtual Spring Dance Concert
“Vitalis,” Cal Poly’s first virtual spring dance concert, will stream on Vimeo on Wednesday through Friday, May 20 to 22. The show will consist of choreographed dance films fully created by students.
English Major Wins Modern Language Association Student Paper Contest
Senior English major Alyiah Gonzales was selected as one of five winners in the 2019 Modern Language Association Student Paper Contest.
Students Attend Women Studies Conference
The Women’s and Gender Studies Department took 16 students and recent graduates to the annual conference of the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) in San Francisco in November 2019.
Learn more about the conference.
LAES Students Travel to Seattle as Finalists in Boeing Innovation Challenge
In January, a group of students flew to Seattle as finalists in the Boeing Innovation Challenge. Their mission? To bring innovative design ideas to commercial flights.
Learn more about the Innovation Challenge
Students Volunteer to Connect Facilities in Need With Distilleries Producing Hand Sanitizer
During the long spring break, Cal Poly students volunteered around 12-15 hours each day to get the website, Disinfect Connect, up and running.
Learn more about Disinfect Connect
Two CLA Students to Represent Cal Poly in CSU Research Competition
The students submitted a digital form of their research, and they will complete the Q&A portion of the presentation via video conferencing on April 24
Learn more about the competition
Master of Public Policy Students Partner with the County to Develop Better Mental Health Programs
From peer mentorship programs for Latina women to trauma informed care training for employees, these new programs address different concerns affecting people in San Luis Obispo.
CLA Students Earn Top Spots at CSU Media Arts Festival
Three students placed at the 29th annual CSU Media Arts Festival in Los Angeles on Nov. 13, sweeping the top three spots in Screenwriting and first in Promotional Video.
Hear from one of the CSU Media Arts Festival winners
Music Student Produces Two Videos Featuring Mustang Band for SLO Transit
It’s not often that music junior Brian Mendez produces something without sound — especially when it’s a video of a band. But when SLO Transit asked the Mustang Band to produce a promotional video for the buses, he was up for the challenge.
Read more and watch the SLO Transit Promotional video
Graphic Communication Major Shares Color Research
The 2018 FFTA Rossini North America Flexographic Research Scholarship second-place recipient Linnea Landgren, a senior graphic communication major, shares her research on replicating consistent color.
Hear from Linnea Landgren about her color research
CSU + Adobe XD Creative Jam
Adobe XD Creative Jam participant and second-year art and design major Bianca Gomez shares about her experience.
Read more about CSU + Adobe XD Creative Jam
From Syria to SLO, Psychology Student Tackles the Issue of Homelessness
As a high school student, Alaina Martine knew she cared about the issue of homelessness. She had volunteered at homeless shelters and taken service trips to do her part. But after one service trip to Greece, she returned feeling transformed and ready to make a lasting impact in her community.
Read more about how Martine is tackling homelessness
Join Cal Poly Career Connections!
Career Connections is an exclusive online networking and mentoring platform that connects you to Cal Poly’s professional community. Learn how you can join and get involved today!
Read more about Cal Poly Career Connections
Uncovering the Untold: Students and Professors Launch Queer Archive Project to Document Central Coast History
Students and faculty from Cal Poly and Cuesta College are collaborating for the Central Coast Queer Archive Project (CCQAP), which uncovers untold history and documents history from the lives of the LGBTQ+ community on the Central Coast.
CLA Student Works on Project with New York Times Student Journalism Institute
Recent journalism and ethnic studies alumna Isabella Paoletto had the opportunity to work on a journalism project with the New York Times Student Journalism Institute during her last quarter at Cal Poly.
Read more about Paoletto's experience at the New York Times Student Journalism Institute
Graphic Communication Senior Selected for Cal Poly's Accelerator Program
GrC graduating senior Joe Sobrero successfully participated in Demo Day earlier in the month for his product Ropegun, a fitness tracker, route-guide and social media platform for climbers.
Read more about the Demo Day and Ropegun
CLA Athletes Honored at Big West Conference
Check out the list of Cal Poly student-athletes from the College of Liberal Arts who earned Big West Conference all-academic honors for Winter and Spring Quarters.
Read more about the Big West Conference honorees
CLA and Industrial Technology Students Win Third at Coca-Cola and Mondelez’s 48-Hour Repack Competition
Two CLA students were part of the third-place team in the 48-Hour Repack Competition, hosted by the Institute of Packaging Professionals and sponsored by Coca-Cola and Mondelez.
Read more about the 48-Hour Repack Competition
Political Science Sophomore Sworn in as Assembly Delegate for the Democratic Party
Political Science sophomore Rob Moore was elected as an Assembly District Delegate for the Democratic Party. Moore is now the youngest delegate in California District 35 and one of the five youngest in the state.
Food Science and Graphic Communication Seniors Publish a Cookbook Featuring Recipes from Pop-Up Restaurant DENCH.
Food science alumnus Jimmy Wong became a viral sensation when he created a high-class pop-up restaurant, DENCH., in his studio apartment — and he just released a cookbook designed by graphic communication senior Carly Lamera.
Cal Poly Great Grad from the CLA 2019
Meet the 2019 Cal Poly great grad from the College of Liberal Arts — Mia Alexander.
Read more about this year's Great Grad from the CLA
Cal Poly Choir Students Perform at Carnegie Hall
Cal Poly Choir students performed at the renowned music venue Carnegie Hall in New York City on Saturday, May 25, as a part of MidAmerica Production’s 36th concert season.
Read more about the Cal Poly Choirs performance at Carnegie Hall
Anthropology and Geography Senior Wins First Place at CSU Research Competition
Anthropology and geography senior Torrey Sanseverino won first place for her research presentation at the 33rd Annual CSU Research Competition in Fullerton, California.
Read more about the CSU Research Competition winner
Underrepresented Student Network Connects Students to Mentors, Provides Community
The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) launched the Underrepresented Students Network (USN), a network of students from the CLA who provide peer-to-peer mentorship for underrepresented students across campus to create a more equitable learning environment.
Cal Poly Students Present at CSU Gender, Race & Sexuality Undergraduate Conference
Five Cal Poly students presented their work at the first Gender, Race and Sexuality Undergraduate Conference, which was hosted at Fresno State University on Friday, April 26.
Read more about the CSU Gender, Race and Sexuality Conference
Advancing Cultural Change: Turning Student Stories into Films
A Cal Poly research team is turning student stories into films through Advancing Cultural Change (ACC), an interdisciplinary ethnography project aiming to create a more equitable learning environment on campus.
Political Science Major Selected for Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s Congressional Internship Program
A political science major seeking a career in public service is Cal Poly’s 2019 representative to the Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program, which gives students the opportunity to work and study in Washington, D.C.
Read more about the Panetta internship
University Art Gallery Presents Juried Student Show
The University Art Gallery displayed the 2019 Juried Student Show, an exhibition featuring juried selections from students who created artwork in the concentrations of studio art, photography and video and graphic design.
Read more about the Juried Student Show
Mustang Media Group Receives 46 Awards
Mustang Media Group (MMG), the Cal Poly Journalism Department’s student-run media organization, recently received national recognition from three of college media’s most distinguished organizations.
Read more about the Mustang Media Group Awards
Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Senior Ryan Vannucci Wins Two AVA Digital Awards
The California Cybersecurity Institute was honored in the AVA Digital Awards for their informative videos made by Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies senior Ryan Vannucci.
Read more about the AVA Digital Awards
LAES Collaborates with Orchesis Dance Company to Create Immersive Video Projects
A group of Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies (LAES) students created immersive video effects for the Theater and Dance Department’s annual Orchesis Dance Company performance.
Learn more about the collaboration
Music Department Announces Choir Trip to Kenya
This July, six Cal Poly music students will travel to Kenya for a choral workshop and a conducting clinic alongside Director of Choral Activities and Vocal Studies Scott Glysson and music professor India D’Avignon.
Learn more about the trip to Kenya
Art and Design Senior Places Second in Walt Disney Imaginations Design Competition
Art and design senior Kyle Branch’s team placed second in Walt Disney Imagineering’s 28th Imaginations Design Competition.
Read more about the Walt Disney design competition
Cal Poly Women's Basketball Senior Spotlight: Katie Nunnelley
Now Cal Poly’s top rebounder, Nunnelley began last year poised to play substantial minutes in the Mustangs’ frontcourt rotation. She would soon feel immense pain, however, in her right knee.
Read more about the Katie Nunnelley
CLA Athletes Honored at Big West Conference
Many Cal Poly student-athletes from the College of Liberal Arts earned Big West Conference or Big Sky Conference all-academic honors for Fall Quarter and postseason honors.
Read more about the award winning athletes
Eric Steinbach Memorial Graphic Communication Endowment to Support GrC Program
Cal Poly’s Graphic Communication Department has met its $200,000 fundraising goal for a new endowment in honor of the late Eric Steinbach, a longtime supporter of the program and the university.
Graphic Design Students Place Second in National Packaging Competition
A team of Cal Poly graphic design and Industrial Technology & Packaging students placed second in the national Paperboard Packaging Council’s (PPC) Annual Carton Competition.
Read more about the Annual Carton Competition
Mustang Media Group Wins 17 National Awards
Mustang Media Group, Cal Poly’s student-run media organization, received national recognition from two of college media’s most distinguished organizations—Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) and College Media Awards (CMA).
Read more about the college media awards
Art and Design Students Work on Residence Hall Murals
A group of art and design students worked with San Francisco-based artist Strider Patton to complete 22 murals in the new yakʔitʸutʸu living community on campus.
Read more about the yakʔitʸutʸu murals
CLA Athletes Honored at Big West Conference
Cal Poly student-athletes from the College of Liberal Arts were honored on the 2017-18 Big West Conference or Mountain Pacific Sports Federation All-Academic Team for the winter and spring quarters.
Read more about the honored CLA athletes
Journalism Student Starts Film Festival for Young Filmmakers
Journalism senior Michael Frank created a film festival to showcase work created by young filmmakers. The festival, named 25 Under 25, brought in 180 submissions from young filmmakers across California.
Read more about the 25 Under 25 film festival
Political Science Junior Elected ASI President
Political science junior Jasmin Fashami was elected ASI President for the 2018-19 school year
Read more about the ASI president-elect
Art and Design Student's Work Permanently Displayed in Baker Center
Art and design senior Anna Teiche left her mark on the Warren J. Baker Center for Science and Mathematics through a unique art installation that honors Dr. Phil Bailey, emeritus dean for the College of Science and Mathematics.
Read more about the commissioned piece
CLA Seniors Recognized with University and College Awards
Outstanding students receiving awards for the 2017-18 academic year were honored at a reception on Friday, June 15.
Read more about the outstanding seniors
Psychology Major Recognized as Cal Poly Great Grad
Psychology major Marcos Ramirez-Santos was recognized as the Cal Poly Great Grad from the CLA. Cal Poly Great Grads show the strengths, struggles and accomplishments of the class of 2018.
Read more about CLA's great grad
Cal Poly Hosts First Spanish-language Civic Debate on a U.S. University Campus
Titled “Los Legados de Valladolid,” which translates to “Legacies of Valladolid,” the topic argued in competition was whether the rise of nativism, an extreme form of patriotism, is a threat to universal human rights.
Read more about the Spanish-language debate
English Major Wins Cal Poly's American Poets Contest
English major Morgan Condict won Cal Poly’s Academy of American Poets Contest for his poem “To an Old Coworker,” which investigates the homelessness crisis in San Francisco through a compelling, personal perspective.
Read more about the poetry contest
Political Science Major is Cal Poly's 2018 Panetta Representative
Political science junior Philip Abarquez has been selected as one of 26 students from the state of California as a 2018 representative to the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s Congressional Internship Program.
Read more about the Panetta internship
Music Senior Plays Trumpet for 'Kinky Boots'
Cal Poly music senior Taylor O’Hanlon seized a last-minute opportunity to play trumpet in the national-touring production of the Broadway show "Kinky Boots" on Jan. 30.
Read more about the production
Students Make Semifinals in Disney Imaginations Design Competition
A group of Cal Poly students made it to the semifinals of the 27th annual Disney Imaginations Designs Competition for their theme park design.
Read about Disney Imaginations Design Competition
Cal Poly Students Honored by Lawmakers at State Capitol
Nineteen Cal Poly students, including five from the College of Liberal Arts, were recognized for their awards and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the state Assembly and Senate in Sacramento on Feb. 12.
Read more about the students honored
Mustang Media Group Earns 25+ Awards
Mustang Media Group, the Cal Poly Journalism Department ’s student-run media organization, has received more than 25 awards in the span of five months.
Read more about Mustang Media Group's awards
Art and Design Student Magazine Expands Production
The magazine began as a class assignment in professor Lana Caplan’s ART 329 Editorial Photography with a group of only eight students. It has since grown into a student-run magazine where students handle all aspects of creating and publishing a magazine.
Read more about the art and design magazine
Packaging and Design Students Stand Out Among the World’s Best
Teams of Cal Poly packaging, business, and design students received two of the top three awards at the 2017 World Packaging Organisation (WPO) WorldStar International Packaging Design Student Competition.
Read more about the WorldStar Competition
New Queer Studies Minor Launched
The Women’s and Gender Studies Department launched a new queer studies minor. Students and faculty gathered in the Robert E. Kennedy Library atrium on Oct. 4 for a launch party to celebrate and speak about the significance of the new minor.
Read more about the new queer studies minor
KCPR is No. 1
KCPR was recognized this fall as the No. 1 college radio station by Great Value Colleges.
Read more about KCPR's ranking
Students in New Political Science Course Draft a Bill
Students enrolled in a new political science course are drafting a bill that will be sent to the State Legislature in hopes of passing the bill into state law. The class, California Bill Project, is taught by professor Chris Den Hartog, with help from former Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian.
Read more about the California Bill Project
CLA Athletes Honored at Big West Conference
Junior golfer Sophie Bergland was named to the 2017 Big West Conference Spring All-Academic Team, softball player Sierra Hyland was named Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year for a second time, and more student-athletes were placed on the All-Academic Team by the Big West Conference.
Read more about the Big West Conference
Cal Poly Journalism Senior Crowned Miss California 2017
Cal Poly journalism senior Jillian Smith was crowned Miss California 2017 and awarded with over $25,000 in scholarships for continuing her education on July 1 in Fresno, California.
Read more about Miss California
Members of Inaugural Cal Poly Spanish-language Debate Team Ranked as World Finalists
Two Cal Poly Spanish-language debate team members finished as finalists at the largest international Spanish-language university debate competition in Guatemala City this summer.
Read more about the Spanish Debate Team
Ethnic Studies and Sociology Student Receives CSU Trustees’ Award
A Cal Poly ethnic studies and sociology student from Santa Maria has received the 2017 California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.
Read more about the CSU Trustees' Award
Art and Design Students Defining Words With Videos
Art and Design Students from the Art 383 Digital Video course worked closely with representatives from Dictionary.com to develop creative videos that illustrate the proper use of a word through a unique story.
Read more about the Dictionary.com videos
Art and Design Students Help Cal Poly Sweep Awards at 2017 Ameristar Packaging Competition
Four teams of Cal Poly students took first-, second- and third-place awards and an honorable mention in the 2017 Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) Ameristar Student Packaging Competition.
Read more about the Ameristar Competition
Psychology Student Cameron Andrews is Cal Poly Great Grad from CLA
"Cameron Andrews found Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy to be a 'tremendous catalyst' as he pursued a psychology degree."
Read more about the 2017 Cal Poly Great Grad from CLA
College of Liberal Arts Recognizes Outstanding Seniors
Each year, the College of Liberal Arts, its departments and the university recognize outstanding students for their academic performance as well as contributions beyond the classroom.
Read more about the 2017 student award-winners
CLA Students and Faculty Among President's Diversity Award Winners
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong awarded individuals and organizations with the faculty, staff and student President’s Diversity Awards in May.
Read more about the President's Diversity Awards
Three Top Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus Scorers are from CLA
Three of the top four on-campus Collegiate Learning Assessment Plus scorers were students from the College of Liberal Arts.
Read more about the Collegiate Learning Assessment
Three CLA Start-ups Accepted to SLO HotHouse Accelerator Program
Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) accepted seven start-up companies into this year’s SLO HotHouse Summer Accelerator program, and three were developed by CLA students.
Read more about the Accelerator Program
Cal Poly Students Participate in Model United Nations Conferences
Nine Cal Poly students participated in Model United Nations (UN) conferences across the country and abroad in 2017, going to New York, Berkeley and Brazil.
Mustang Media Group Earns Numerous Awards at National Contests
Mustang Media Group (MMG), the Journalism Department's student-run news organization, won numerous awards at both the College Media Business and Advertising Managers Annual Content and the Midwinter National College Media Convention.
Read more about the Mustang Media Group Awards
Political Science Major is Cal Poly’s 2017 Panetta Institute Representative
As the 2017 Cal Poly Panetta Institute Representative, Maryam Quasto will be working full time for 11 weeks in Washington D.C. in the office of a congressional representative.
Read more about the Panetta Insitute representative
English Grad Student Wins Cal Poly’s Academy of American Poets Prize
Cal Poly Master in English student Marissa Ahmadkhani won the university’s Academy of American Poets (AAP) contest for her poem “Only Half,” which investigates her Iranian heritage.
Read more about the AAP winner
Cal Poly Debate Team One of the Top in Nation
For the fourth consecutive year, the Cal Poly Debate Team is one of the top-ranked teams in the nation.
Read more about the debate team
English Master's Student Wins Prestigious Fellowship
English Master's student Ian Fetters (English, '15) has been awarded the S.T. Joshi Endowed Research Fellowship to study the literature of horror-fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft.
Read more about the Lovecraft Fellowship
Three CLA Students to Represent Cal Poly in CSU Research Competition
Three students from the College of Liberal Arts will represent Cal Poly at the 31st Annual CSU Research Competition.
Read more about the CSU Research Competition
Cal Poly Mock Trial Team Earns Bid to Compete at National Championship
A mock trial team from Cal Poly earned a bid to compete at the National Championship Tournament (NCT) in Los Angeles April 21-23. This is the first time that a Cal Poly team has earned a spot in the prestigious national tournament.
Cal Poly Students Honored By Lawmakers at State Capitol
Twenty Cal Poly students, including three from the College of Liberal Arts, were recognized for their awards and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the Assembly and Senate in Sacramento on Feb. 13.
Read more about the honored students
Cal Poly Team Wins Grand Prize at TAGA Conference
A team of students from Cal Poly’s Graphic Design Department won the Grand Prize Award at the Technical Association of Graphic Arts (TAGA) Annual Technical Conference.
Read more about Cal Poly's TAGA win
Two CLA Athletes Named to All-BigSky Conference First Team
Chris Santini and Joe Protheroe were both named to the All-BigSky Conference first team last fall.
Read more All-Big-Sky Conference First Team Athletes from CLA
Philosophy Department Sends Team to National Competition
Five Philosophy students went to Dallas, Texas to compete in the intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, a philosophy competition for colleges and universities with the best analytical and argumentative teams in the country.
Read more about the Ethics Bowl
Hundreds Attend Unite Cal Poly Event
The inaugural Celebration of Inclusivity and Diversity, Unite Cal Poly featured critically-acclaimed socio-political comedian W. Kamau Bell and alternative-soul musician Allen Stone.
Read more about Unite Cal Poly
Psychology Major Organizes TEDx Event
Cameron Wiese organized TedXCalPoly 2016, an event featuring talks from Cal Poly students and professors, as well as a host of other accomplished individuals from across the country.
Read more about the TEDx Event
Mustang Minute: Amanda Lovely From Cal Poly Women's Basketball
Amanda has played in 55 games over the past two years, with career totals of 512 points and 488 rebounds while also making the Big West Conference All-Academic Team as a psychology major from Palo Alto.
Students Build Solar-powered Digital Libraries for use in the Pacific Islands
Cal Poly students designed and assembled solar-powered digital libraries for use in remote areas lacking educational resources.
Watch the video about the Solar SPELL Project
Journalism Student Visits Vice President Biden for Sexual Assault Awareness Campaign
Journalism major, Kelly Jacobs, was invited to the White House and Vice President Joe Biden’s residence for a meeting about the next steps in the nationwide sexual assault awareness campaign, It's On Us.
Read more about Jacobs' campus impact
Sociology Major Pioneers Drone Defense System
Luke Fox’s philosophy is simple: rid the cyber world of its criminals.
Read more about Fox's creation
Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Major Interns at Disney
Fourth-year Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Major, Ciera Dixon, spent Fall Quarter 2016 interning for the Technology and Operations department at The Disney ABC Television Group in Burbank, California.
Graphic Communications Student Rockin' with Green Day
Gwendolyn Giles is a third year Graphic Communications (GRC) major at Cal Poly with an extraordinary hobby.
Cal Poly English Major Takes Part in Prestigious Internship in the U.S. Congress
English major Miguel Contreras spent the past summer working in Washington, D.C. Contreras was able to gain valuable work experience with the office of Representative Loretta Sanchez, the congresswoman who represents his home district in Orange County.
English Major Wins $1,000 Award for Original Song
Last Fall, Maria Woodson, fourth-year English major at Cal Poly, won $1,000 for an original song competition.
Read more about Woodson's inspiration
Graphic Communication Students Win Phoenix Challenge Packaging Competition
Cal Poly graphic communication students were the 2016 overall champions for their point of purchase (POP) display, wedge-shaped beverage container, and shrink sleeve at the Phoenix Challenge Flexo Packaging Competition.
Read more about Cal Poly's Phoenix Challenge win
Expressive Technology Studios at the heart of campus will transform student learning
A gift from a generous donor kick-started construction plans for an exciting new building that will place Cal Poly liberal arts under the same roof as science, mathematics and agriculture.
Read more about the Expressive Technology Studio
Changing the World in Minor (And Major) Ways
Cyberwarfare. Climate change. Health inequalities. Risk communication. Cal Poly looks to equip students with the tools and skills to tackle these significant challenges with the College of Liberal Arts’ new Science, Technology & Society (STS) Minors Program.
Read about Cal Poly's new STS Program
Cal Poly Sociology Senior Selected for Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s Congressional Internship Program
Malcolm Mills, a sociology major from Rancho Cucamonga is Cal Poly’s 2016 representative to the Panetta Institute for Public Policy’s Congressional Internship Program.
Cal Poly Students Sweep National Packaging Design Competition
Four teams of Cal Poly students took home first-, second- and third-place awards and an honorable mention in this year’s Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) Ameristar Student Packaging Awards Competition.
Read about the packaging competition
Truth in Fiction: Cal Poly Senior Explores Immigration Issues in Short Story
Brenda Dorantes, whose parents are immigrants, hoped to use her senior project to immerse readers in the personal aspects of the hotly debated subject.
Ethnic Studies Major Raises Awareness of HIV/AIDS Issues and Receives Student Trustee's Award
Ethnic studies senior Mario Espinoza has been active on campus through MEXA and PRISM, working to raise awareness and understanding for minority and LGBTQIA communities.
Read more about Mario Espinoza's campus activism and his Student Trustee's award
History Majors — Past and Present — Help Unearth Hollywood’s Ancient Egypt
The excavation of an Egyptian sphinx made worldwide headlines when it was unearthed on the Central Coast.
Read about Hollywood's Ancient Egypt
International Student Athlete Looks Back at Cal Poly Years
During his two years at Cal Poly, Alberto Ganis embodied the words of NBA small forward Kevin Durant: “I’m a basketball player. That’s what I do and what I love, but that’s just not all who I am. I’m talented in a lot of different areas.”
Purchasing Power Senior Project Helps Cal Poly Contribute to Peace in Congo
For nearly 25 years, war — funded by “conflict minerals” — has ravaged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where more than 5.4 million people have died. With the help of advisor Professor Shelley Hurt, Katie Hoselton used her senior project to create a campaign of change on Cal Poly's campus.
Read about Katie Hoselton's senior project
Cal Poly Student's Water Crisis Forecast Research Takes First Place at Competition
For nearly 25 years, war — funded by “conflict minerals” — has ravaged the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where more than 5.4 million people have died. With the help of advisor Professor Shelley Hurt, Katie Hoselton used her senior project to create a campaign of change on Cal Poly's campus.
Cal Poly Graphic Communication Students Honored for Book Designs
Cal Poly graphic communication students took home top awards for their book design work from the Publishing Professionals Network (PPN) on May 20.
Liberal Arts and Engineering Major Interns at Clinton Foundation
Last fall, liberal arts and engineering studies major Gabrielle Amar joined the Clinton Foundation as an intern, ready to take on the foundation’s mission to solve some of the world’s most daunting challenges through the Clinton Climate Initiative sector.
Fialta
The breezy sounds of local San Luis Obispo band Fialta are drifting across the nation. The self-professed “Central Coast indie pop” group are multi-faceted artists — balancing day jobs with writing, composing and performing music inspired by literature and the world around them.
Cal Poly Students Take Top Honors at CSU Research Competition
Five Cal Poly students took top honors at the recent 2015 California State University (CSU) Research Competition held May 1-2 at CSU San Bernardino
Read more about the research competition
Cal Poly Graphic Communication Students Win Awards in Packaging Challenge
Cal Poly graphic communication students won two awards for a pop-up mailer at the annual Phoenix Challenge Flexo Packaging Competition on May 2.
Read more about the packaging challenge
Cal Poly History Student to Attend Prestigious Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute
Cal Poly history junior Madeleine Aitchison will attend the Southeast Asian Studies Summer Institute (SEASSI) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for summer 2015.
Cal Poly English Department Names 2015 American Scholar Prize Winner
Cal Poly English junior Abigail Johnson was named the 2015 American Scholar Prize winner for a literary essay she wrote. She will receive her award and $500 at the English Department commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 14.
Read more about the American Scholar Prize winner
Cal Poly Journalism Recognized With National Top Honors
Cal Poly Journalism’s Mustang News won a multitude of awards from the College Media Business and Advertising Managers, California Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Society of Professional Journalists.
Debate Team Brings Home Championship Titles From California Cup Sweepstakes
The Cal Poly Debate Team brought home top honors, emerging with several strong performances at the California Cup, which took place from March 27-29.Cal Poly debaters were challenged by the most reputable debate programs in the state and nation.