Recent News
Journalism Alumna Accepted into Prestigious Fellowship Program
Feb 15, 2023
By Nicole Troy
Grace Curtis
Last fall, Grace Curtis (Journalism, ’22) joined the prestigious Capital Fellows Program offered through California State University, Sacramento, making her one of only 18 fellows accepted into the executive branch of the 11-month program.
The Capital Fellows Programs are nationally recognized public policy fellowships, offering unique and in-depth experiences in policymaking and development in each branch of government.
With a concentration in public relations and a double minor in English and environmental studies, Curtis brings a unique interdisciplinary education to the program.
“Most of the students that apply to this program are political science majors, but coming from a journalism background gave me a more nuanced skillset in communication and writing, which is very applicable to so much of the work I’ll be doing,” Curtis said.
Curtis was accepted into the fellowship’s executive branch where she is working in the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development on the Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) team. She currently aids the ZEV team in their efforts to further develop the market for zero emissions vehicle sales as well as the charging and hydrogen fueling infrastructure in California.
“A portion of what I will be doing for the ZEV team will be using my journalistic skills to help showcase important success stories from their work to stakeholders and to find better ways of communicating metrics on how the zero-emission vehicle market is currently doing,” Curtis said. “I am definitely benefitting from having all my public relations knowledge and data journalism skills at the ready.”
Curtis credits the classes she took with journalism Lecturer Kim Bisheff, journalism Assistant Professor Michael Park and natural resources management and environmental sciences Professor Anastasia Telesetsky as influencing her to pursue her passions of environmental law and policy.
“[With Kim Bisheff] I did projects on climate change and other environmental topics in her multimedia journalism and media innovation classes, and in these spaces my passion for environmental issues was born. Similarly, taking media law with Michael Park directed my interest toward the legal field,” Curtis said.
While taking both mass media law and copyright and advertising law with Park, Curtis would often stop by Park’s office hours to pick his brain about a potential career in law.
“Grace approached her university studies with a professional attitude. She was very curious, and these attributes helped separate her from the rest of the pack, to be among Cal Poly's best and brightest,” Park said.
The flexibility of the Journalism Department’s curriculum also allowed Curtis to take classes within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences where she chose to minor in environmental sciences.
After taking a course with Telesetsky, Telesetsky persuaded Curtis to apply to the Capital Fellows Program where she could explore what a career working in environmentalism might be like and learn from California government leaders.
“With Grace, I was a fellow explorer. She knows that she wants to use law and policy to create positive social impacts. Together, we were able to explore potential pathways for thinking about how law works not just on paper but in reality,” Telesetsky said.
After her fellowship concludes, Curtis plans to continue her work in environmental law and go back to school to pursue either a law degree or master’s degree.
Reflecting on her time at Cal Poly, Curtis offered a piece of advice for current students.
“Never underestimate how important it is to get to know your professors and be an active participant in their classes. Building relationships with your educators is how you will find paths forward in life, not just as an undergrad, but in all settings.”
Read the most recent CLA News stories
Character Study
Feb 14, 2023
Alumna Kristen Sanzari brings your favorite animated characters to life designing toys for Mattel.
By Gabby Ferreira
As a student concentrating in graphic design at Cal Poly, Kristen Sanzari (Art and Design, ’11) dreamed of working in animation for a company like Disney or Pixar, bringing characters and stories to life.
Now, more than 10 years later, she’s doing just that — through her work as a toy designer at Mattel.
Sanzari, who also earned a master’s degree in visual development for animation from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, was working as a graphic designer and illustrator when she saw a job listing at Mattel.
“The position just said ‘designer.’ It didn’t specify graphic designer or toy designer. I read the requirements and thought I was a good fit, so I applied based on the job description,” she said. “During the interview I realized it was an actual toy design position and thought it was a really cool opportunity.”
Even without any toy designs in her portfolio, Sanzari pivoted quickly and offered to send the team drawings for toy concepts, which she completed that night and sent in the next day. She was hired.
“I had never really considered toy design before,” Sanzari said. “I took the skills I learned studying concept art for animation into this new dream of toy design that I kind of stumbled into.”
Sanzari proudly designs toys for Disney and
Pixar movies. Image courtesy of Kristen Sanzari.
As a key lead product designer, Sanzari and her teammates primarily design toys connected to Disney and Pixar movies. They start work on these toys about two years prior to the movies’ releases in theaters.
Because of the logistics involved in toy production, Sanzari and her team are on a much tighter timeline than the studios they work with, but they still have to ensure that their products match up with the finished movies.
“In an animated film, they can keep changing things throughout the process,” Sanzari said. “For example, in the movie ‘Lightyear,’ they changed the colors of Buzz’s suits several times, so we were constantly trying to keep up and make sure that our toys matched.”
The team starts by brainstorming ideas for toys based on what they know about the movie and the characters. They spend their creative energy coming up with features to make the toy engaging, such as a movement activated by pushing a button or moving some part of the toy.
Sanzari and her team then draw concepts of the design ideas they liked best. Once they choose the concepts to move forward with, they work closely with sculptors, engineers, model makers, and the packaging team to bring the toy to life.
Throughout the process, they continue to check in with representatives of whichever company licenses the designs to ensure accuracy and approval. They also test out the toys with children and adults to make sure everything is working well.
“We’re just starting to work on toys for a movie Pixar will release in 2024 called ‘Elio’,” she said. “It’s very cool to see the concept designs before the movie’s even out, and it’s fun to be in the know.”
Thanks to her animation background, Sanzari is drawn to bringing things to life, and tries to bring that movement and animation into the toys she designs. One of her favorite toys she has worked on is the Indoraptor dinosaur, from the “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom” movie.
“We knew it slunk around like a cat, could stand on either two legs or four legs, had four fingers it used like hands and red eyes,” Sanzari said. “I used what we knew about the dinosaur to make a quick animation that showed the movement we wanted the dinosaur to have and brought it to the model shop at Mattel so they could help me figure it out.”
With their help, Sanzari created a toy that could slink around using a mechanism on its tail. But when a button on the tail is pressed, the toy also clamps its arms together like it’s grabbing something. Another button makes its mouth chomp and eyes glow red.
The Jurassic World “Spinosaurus” toy.
Graphics courtesy of Kristen Sanzari.
“That was the first time I got to make a toy that really slinks and moves like it’s alive,” she said.
Throughout her time at Mattel, Sanzari has gotten to have brainstorm sessions at Disneyland, skip the lines at Universal Studios, attend San Diego Comic Con annually, and travel to Hong Kong and China to visit Mattel-affiliated factories. It may not be the path she envisioned as a student, but it’s better than she could have imagined. Her advice: Don’t pigeonhole yourself. Keep your options open.
“Sometimes things you don’t expect will fall into your lap and end up being even better than what you thought you wanted to do before,” she said.
And the Learn by Doing education Sanzari gained from Cal Poly still proves valuable every day.
“I don’t have a toy design background, while a lot of people I work with went to school for toy design,” she said. “The Learn by Doing attitude is, ‘If I don’t know something now, I am willing to learn, and I’m going to soak it in like a sponge.’ I’m always absorbing new things and continually growing, and what better way than by just doing it and learning from the amazing people around you?”
Read the story in Cal Poly Magazine
Meet the 2023 Cal Poly Rose Float Hydraulics and Engine Lead, History Student Collin Marfia
Feb 8, 2023
By Jay Thompson
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, CA on Jan. 1.
Read more about his time working on, "Road to Reclamation," below.
Colin Marfia was one of the four
operators who rode unseen aboard Cal
Poly universities’“Road to Reclamation.”
What is your current role in the 2023 Rose Float?
I am the Hydraulics and Engine Lead as well as the Drive Engine Operator.
How long have you been involved with Rose Float?
My involvement with Rose Float began last year when I saw their booth set up during Club Showcase
Do you feel the weight of the legacy of Rose Float? There have been more than 70 floats since 1949, and this student project is perhaps the highest profile of any on campus in any given year.
It feels very heavy. So many people before me have worked on this incredible amalgamation of art and engineering and to be working in this capacity is such an honor and a privilege.
Which floats did you work on, and what was your role in each?
I was a construction team member focusing on hydraulics during the 2022 float “Stargrazers” and am now the Hydraulics Lead for the 2023 Float “Road to Reclamation.”
What skills have you learned as a result of Rose Float — such as with mechanics, use of power tools, electrical, growing flowers, working within a team?
I have learned so much about mechanics in this program, and the things that I get to do each weekend amaze me. I had no idea what hydraulics even were before joining. Now I’m in charge of every hydraulic system powering this program, and I am constantly left in awe. My teamwork capabilities have grown so much because of this program as well. We work with a leadership team of around about 45 people across two campuses along with all of our other team members, participants and volunteers. Keeping up communication between the two campuses is a necessity, and the ideas we’ve come up with to keep each other in the loop have greatly increased my communication skills.
What attracted you to join the group? And what keeps you coming back?
The booth they had set up and the people at the booth pulled me in and everyone else held me down. They presented it as essentially industrial arts and crafts with friends sprinkled in and I was hooked. They were so welcoming to me even though I was one of two Liberal Arts majors in the program at the time and if I didn’t know something they tried their best to teach it to me. Everyone is so welcoming and kind, and I have met some incredible people through this program.
What is the best experience you’ve had working on the float?
Definitely during judging last year. I was installing a replacement speaker cable because one of ours broke right before judging. As I was hooking it up I heard yelling from outside the float and every hatch and door in the float slammed shut — horror-movie style. Our Animations Operator and Drive Engine Operator from last year had dived into the float and pulled the door shut behind them without realizing I was there. I asked what’s happening and they both said: “The judges are here half an hour early. Stay put and stay quiet.” So last year, I got to be inside of the float during our judging time slot.
What is special about the 2023 float entry?
I think a lot of people are very passionate about this design. The concept was created by one of the people on our leadership team and it is so serene and calming. (Mechanical engineering student Benjamino Cruz, a four-year member of the Cal Poly team, submitted the original concept for “Road to Reclamation.” Cruz is the San Luis Obispo team’s construction chair who will be driving the float on this year’s 5-1/2-mile parade route.) There is something so nice about the forest and the cycle of life that happens there daily, and we're just so excited to bring this design to life.
Will you be riding aboard the float during the parade?
I will be in the float during the parade. As Drive Engine Operator it will be my job to maintain all drive and hydraulic systems on the float during the parade and ensure that we remain operable and in safe conditions for the entirety of the parade.
What do you look forward to about Decorations (Deco) Week (Dec. 26-Jan. 1)?
Deco Week is so exhausting but to see all of your hard work come together in this final stretch of time and see it all finished is a thing of beauty. I remember pulling an all-nighter to get the float moved into place in time for the parade to start and fighting sleep while watching our art (float) driving into its starting place was amazing.
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Work Local, Think Global: Student Serves Home District on Capitol Hill
Feb 6, 2023
By Keegan Koberl
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.
Ethan Gutterman, left, with Congressmember Brad
Sherman, right. Photo courtesy of Ethan Gutterman.
Gutterman, who was selected for the program earlier in the year, made history as the first Cal Poly Scholar to be chosen for the prestigious opportunity.
One of the toughest parts of the program happened before Gutterman set foot on Capitol Hill. Gutterman and his fellow interns spent two weeks at the Panetta Institute in Monterey to prepare for the internship , where they heard from speakers including California State Sen. John Laird, former Vice President Dan Quayle, and Leon Panetta himself, the former Secretary of Defense.
“We had 14 days of information-dense, policy-focused classes – it was a lot of information to take in, but it was really amazing and rewarding," Gutterman said. “It was an intense experience and probably the hardest part of the internship.”
In addition to leading tours of the Capitol Building and taking phone calls from constituents, Gutterman was able to work on briefings and research related to Sherman’s position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Sherman’s priorities aligned well with Gutterman’s interests in foreign affairs and regulation of cryptocurrency, he said.
He sat in on a meeting with congressional staff members and a group of Korean Catholic Bishops, who discussed the role of religion in finding a solution to the ongoing conflict between North and South Korea. Gutterman also assisted in the research on the ongoing civil war in Ethiopia and prepared the congressmember and his staff before briefings and hearings on the matter.
“I appreciated how much the congressmember and his staff focused on the needs and feelings of his constituents during these events that the whole world was watching – when talking about these issues, the first question was always, 'How do people in the district feel about this?'"
Gutterman was the only intern in the program to be matched with their own representative. Sherman represents the 32nd Congressional District, which includes Gutterman’s San Fernando Valley hometown.
Ethan Gutterman smiles for a photo with the
Washington Monument in the background.
Photo courtesy of Ethan Gutterman
“The San Fernando Valley has a large immigrant population from all over the world and I would hear a lot from constituents who were feeling the effects of these conflicts and events – either personally or through family members who lived in their home country,” Gutterman said. “There are many Iranian immigrants in the district, and I engaged with that community a lot in hearing their feelings and questions on the impact of the protests happening across Iran.”
In addition to his fellow interns that he worked, studied and lived with, Gutterman was excited by the opportunity to work with interns from universities around the world, including Georgetown and New York University (NYU) Abu Dhabi.
“It was overwhelming at first to be with so many fellow students who were all so well versed in policy and government, but it was great to get to know them, become friends, learn about their interests and see many of them get permanent jobs on Capitol Hill,” said Gutterman
Gutterman says his experiences through the Panetta Internship helped confirm that he wants to ultimately work in housing and transit policy. As part of the internship, he wrote a research paper on federal housing policy and studied Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants and the history of homelessness policy at the federal level.
Now back at Cal Poly, Gutterman is excited to use his experiences working in Congress and living in D.C. in his classes and activities. As a Cal Poly Scholar, member of the Cal Poly Debate Team, and student in the Cal Poly Honors Program, Gutterman says he sees many opportunities to make connections to his Learn by Doing experience in Washington.
“Through debate, my discussion-based courses in the Honors Program and courses I’m taking this quarter on discrimination in health and technology and global political issues, I hope these new lived experiences can help enhance the rest of my time at Cal Poly.”
Read the story from Cal Poly News
Cal Poly Students Honored by Lawmakers at State Capitol
Jan 30, 2023
Original story by Jay Thompson
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. Three of the nineteen students represented the College of Liberal Arts.
“These young adults have distinguished themselves in so many ways during their time at Cal Poly,” said university President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, who accompanied the group to Sacramento. “They truly are representatives of our campus’s Learn by Doing ethos and individuals who are an inspiration to students in middle and high schools who seek to achieve a hands-on education.
“It’s a pleasure to share their accomplishments with California’s elected officials, who will get a chance to see for themselves the quality, enthusiasm and energy of what our faculty, staff and I know will be tomorrow’s industry innovators and community leaders.”
The group was introduced Monday afternoon to the Senate by Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, and to the Assembly by Assemblymember Dawn Addis of Morro Bay, who is the first female Democrat ever to hold this seat. Both officials represent San Luis Obispo County.
The students also met with Karl Larson, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis’s higher education advisor. Kounalakis plays an important role in Golden State higher education as a member of the boards that oversee the University of California and the California State University. Cal Poly is one of the 23 CSU campuses. Larson earned a doctorate in molecular, cellular and integrative physiology from UC Davis.
Meet the three CLA students who were honored:
Gracie Babatola
Santa Cruz, California
A political science major in the College of Liberal Arts, Babatola is Cal Poly’s 2022-23 student body president. “I’ve always just loved being in a room where decisions were being made,” she said. Active in student government while in high school, when she entered as a Cal Poly freshman in the fall of 2020, the pandemic was dramatically impacting campus life and classes. She sensed something else: a disconnect between the student body and the Associated Students Inc., student government. As a sophomore she decided to change that and ran last spring on a platform of “rebuilding connections.” Achieving that starts with “having students understand what ASI and what student government really is,” she said. “I often meet students who obviously understand the general idea of student government, but they don’t see the particular ways ASI has benefited them.” The 20-year-old also sits on several committees whose work touches many facets of student life for campus residents and those who commute. She also is a representative on the Academic Senate Executive Committee, composed of senior administration officials and key faculty members. At the state Capitol, Babatola, who has a focus on pre-law, plans to continue speaking for her youthful electorate by pressing lawmakers on one of her key issues: “Care about the politics of young people beyond election season when our votes are needed.” Cal Poly has provided many opportunities for the six-time Dean’s List scholar. When she was considering colleges to attend, three things convinced her to commit to become a Mustang: affordability; proximity to Santa Cruz; and a Learn by Doing learning style that extends from the technical and biological sciences to the liberal arts, she said. “Cal Poly is helping me by providing hands-on experiences working with local governmental leaders and helping me network with industry professionals as I think about law and graduate schools.” Babatola is minoring in ethics, public policy, science and technology and plans to graduate this spring and attend law school with the goal of becoming a public defender. “I’m hoping that my role in student government will improve my communication skills and my network,” she said. “In political science there’s often two main routes for graduates to go: law or elected office. This position (as ASI president) has helped me see other ways I can help people outside of politics.”
Jacob Schlottmann-McGonigle
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Schlottmann-McGonigle, a political science senior with a concentration in pre-law in the College of Liberal Arts, describes himself as a “future lawyer and public servant.” He has been active in Cal Poly student government for several years — as the student co-chair of the Associated Students Inc. or ASI, Alumni Council; the External Affairs Committee that represent student views of government laws and policies; and chairman of the University Union Advisory Board that makes policy recommendations for such ASI-managed facilities as the sports fields, the student union and even the 50-foot Cal Poly P that looks down from the slopes of the eastern edge of campus. Cal Poly students are stakeholders in ASI and have access to leadership positions through student government and on-campus employment at ASI facilities. The 22-year-old plans to graduate in June. “My experience in the workforce alongside my many years spent volunteering has shaped my view and understanding of the world,” he said. “Currently, I am interested in going into either immigration or constitutional law as a way of helping people who are less fortunate than myself. Past employers have described me as a dreamer and a doer.” Moreover, he ultimately aspires to “to start my own non-profit.” The former high school cross country runner has crested even greater challenges. He has climbed 14,505-foot Mt. Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the lower 48 states.
Mads Wales
Indio, California
Wales, a graphic communication senior in the College of Liberal Arts, was part of the seven-member team that last March won the Phoenix Challenge Flexo Packaging Competition. The yearlong project, which is open to colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada, had students helping a local small business rebrand and market itself with materials using the flexographic print process, a technique that uses a flexible plate to print on a variety of materials, for their design of new sustainable packaging and business labels. They worked with a small San Luis Obispo-based specialty baker to develop and design a cupcake carrying box, a three-pack extract box and different labels to allow the firm to market to specific groups and expand to new demographics. “The Phoenix Challenge was an amazing opportunity to put my packaging design skills to use and make an impact on an actual business,” Wales said. “By representing the College of Liberal Arts and Cal Poly, I hoped to show how our university’s Learn by Doing motto makes us stand out and prepares students for entering the workforce.” The 22-year-old plans to graduate this spring and begin a career as a consumer packaging designer. The competitive fencer looks forward to meeting state representatives. “As a college student and young adult, I hope to express to lawmakers how important it is for high school graduates to attend college, especially one like Cal Poly where they get hands-on experiences starting Day One,” Wales said.
Read the full story from Cal Poly News
Orchesis Dance Company’s Performance of “Falling Forward” Reaches New Heights
Jan 27, 2023
By Robyn Kontra Tanner; Photos by Joe Johnston
A blazer-clad soloist twirls with striking precision. Breathless performers climb over each other, satirizing the futility of competition. A mass of dancers hurtles across the stage in an expression of metamorphosis.
These scenes, from Orchesis Dance Company’s winter concert, “Falling Forward,” explored gravity, inertia and unbridled expression. 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.
Scenes from “Falling Forward,” explored gravity,
inertia and unbridled expression.
This year’s show came together over months of preparation anchored by DANC 345: Choreography/Workshop in Dance Concert Preparation, a fall course taught by Professor Diana Stanton, with assistance from faculty member Michelle Walter. Students auditioned to be part of the company — now 31 dancers strong — and spent 15 to 20 hours per week in studio rehearsals refining their pieces. Dancers say Orchesis’ tight-knit community fosters trust, friendship and creative expression.
“Even if I'm not turning in assignments or putting numbers on my calculator, this is just a different kind of academic rigor,” said McKenna Tracy, a business administration major and dance minor who performed in seven of the show’s pieces. “I'm still pushing and challenging myself but in a different way.”
The company revived its Artists in Residence program for the first time since the pandemic, bringing professionals like Lisa Deyo and Tamica Washington-Miller to campus to teach master classes on different styles of dance and to set four unique pieces with the company. Four more dances were choreographed by faculty, and four were helmed by students.
Nutrition major Chloe Rosero had academics on her mind when she choreographed “Ball and Chain.” She said her lab and STEM-based courses in biology, chemistry and genetics can be intense, and this piece symbolized how she uses dance to break free and express herself.
The performance began with dancers hobbling onto stage, expressing a struggle against an unseen heaviness on individual and collective scales. Dancers eventually released that tension and took joy in their own levity while the song “Tears in the Club” by FKA Twigs played.
A dancer jumps during a performance of
"Ball and Chain," choreographed by
student Chloe Rosero.
“I was nervous they wouldn’t accept my piece. It’s a very swaggy, contemporary fusion, hip-hop-esque style, which I didn’t see last year in Orchesis,” Rosero said. “What I learned is, if you have a vision and it’s something that speaks to you, go for it!”
Each student choreographer was responsible for bringing their full concept to life, leading months of rehearsals, refining music transitions, selecting wardrobe, and setting a lighting concept with Clint Bryson, the show’s technical director.
“Concert dance isn’t just about the choreography. It’s how it fits in the show,” said Rosero. “It got me thinking about the big picture. We have to consider all things from the audience perspective and how we want it to feel.”
Student Joyce Lam choreographed a piece, titled “Persistence of Memory,” to physically express a Salvador Dalí painting of the same name, where melting clocks droop from withered trees. The fourth-year accounting and information systems student said the pace of her last year of college got her thinking about falling forward through time. On stage, which was lit with blues and oranges that echo the surrealist painting, 12 dancers struck graceful poses with arms outstretched like clock hands before they melted into new shapes.
“I hate public speaking, but that's what I like about dance: I don't have to talk to say what I want to say,” said Lam. “I also feel really powerful. Usually, I walk around campus feeling really timid. But when I'm dancing in the studio, I feel so strong. It's very empowering.”
Dancers embody the concept of melting clocks
during a performance of "Persistence of Memory,"
choreographed by student Joyce Lam.
The concert ended with a show-stopping finale, called “Before You Fall,” a 10-minute opus choreographed by guest artist Mike Esparza in collaboration with Orchesis dancers. The performance featured dancers exploring every conceivable way to trip, tumble and succumb to gravity. It concluded on a triumphant note with all 31 performers moving in unison and catching one another before the crash.
Orchesis is one of Cal Poly’s longest-running student experiences in the performing arts. Professor Emerita Moon Ja Minn Suhr founded the Orchesis Dance Company in 1969 while establishing the Dance Program and dance minor at Cal Poly. Students involved in Orchesis today major in a variety of disciplines like construction management, mechanical engineering, and business administration, bringing art to life from different perspectives.
“We like to think that we are exemplary of Learn by Doing because we physically do it. We take group projects to its zenith because in any dance rehearsal, you can't just kind of sit back and be passive — you have to actively participate,” said Stanton. “We're not just learning steps that somebody else made up. Most of these pieces are done collaboratively.”
Stanton believes everyone can feel inspired by the show, whether they are a dance enthusiast or not.
“Movement is everyone's first language,” she said. “Everybody knows what a body is, and everybody feels a body. Sometimes people struggle a little bit, and ask, ‘What does it mean?’ And we don't have words for it. That's why we dance.”
Read more from Cal Poly News
A Letter from Dean Williams on MLK Jr. Day
Jan 13, 2023
Cal Poly Philosopher Patrick Lin Appointed to U.S. National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group
Dec 19, 2022
Patrick Lin is the director of the
Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group
at Cal Poly.
In a White House announcement Dec. 16, Vice President Kamala Harris, chair of the National Space Council (NSpC), appointed Cal Poly Professor Patrick Lin, Ph.D., to the council’s Users Advisory Group (UAG).
Lin, a full professor in the Philosophy Department and director of the Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group, made the following statement about the news:
“I’m honored to be the first ethicist on the U.S. National Space Council’s Users Advisory Group. This appointment is true to Vice President Kamala Harris’ commitment to bring in diverse perspectives to the UAG and to the wider space community and workforce.
“What I hope to bring to this important group is a new perspective, guided by my ethics experience in outer space affairs, artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, bioengineering, security and defense systems, and other relevant technology domains.
“It’s very encouraging to see this administration seek out practical expertise in ethics in this crucial work. I’m excited to serve on the NSpC UAG to help guide the responsible and sustainable development of outer space.”
Lin’s appointment speaks to Cal Poly’s leadership in applied ethics, which includes emerging technologies in frontiers such as the Arctic and outer space. He was recently awarded a grant by the U.S. National Science Foundation to study technical and policy issues in outer space cybersecurity.
The appointment also bolsters Cal Poly’s legacy in aerospace, which includes co-inventing CubeSats as well as producing notable astronauts and aerospace pioneers, such as Victor Glover and Burt Rutan. Another Cal Poly aerospace alum, Tory Bruno, continues to serve on the NSpC UAG; he is also the president and CEO of United Launch Alliance, a launch service provider that is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
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All Rise — the Class is in Session
Dec 19, 2022
By Nicole Troy
Journalism student Nico Viñuela,
supported by a group of staff and
students, covered the Kristin Smart
murder trial alongside professional
local and national reporters
for three months.
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. Viñuela was one of only a few student reporters who sat in the Salinas courtroom alongside local and national reporters, often working 12- to 15-hour days.
His days often followed the same pattern: waking up at his parents' house in Monterey County, thinking about the case he was covering, driving to court to take two dozen pages of notes by hand and then returning home to write and record daily drafts of his stories.
“It’s a hard thing to do, but I like telling important stories,” Viñuela said. “And when you're dealing with something as sensitive as a grieving family, I think that takes a lot of diligence and hard work.”
Initially, Viñuela planned to cover the trial over the summer. But as it became clear the trial would last several months, he and Mustang News Editor-in-Chief Catherine Allen adjusted their plans.
“We felt that we were doing good work and it was something that Mustang News could feel proud of,” Viñuela said. “We figured, if it was at all possible, that it would be worth it for me to stick it out until the very end of the trial.”
Toward the beginning of the trial, Viñuela worked with Allen and fellow students Liz Wilson and Amelia Wu, who used his notes to write and edit daily stories for Mustang News. As the trial continued and involved more details, however, Viñuela began writing all the stories himself. The process was grueling but resulted in 36 stories for Mustang News and 43 audio updates for KCPR as well as five stories for KCBX, the local NPR affiliate where he was an intern.
To balance his reporting with his studies, Viñuela wrote a plan for how he could use his hands-on experience to meet the course requirements for his last three Cal Poly classes: a course participating in KCPR, Cal Poly’s student-run radio station; a required media internship; and his senior project. He then emailed Journalism Department Chair Brady Teufel and made his case.
For credit in the one-unit KCPR radio course, Viñuela provided audio summaries of the trial that played at the top of every hour, 24 hours a day. For his internship at KCBX, Viñuela provided weekly audio summaries.
Finally, for his senior project, Teufel and Lecturer Kim Bisheff allowed Viñuela and his senior project partner, Sam Riordan, to adjust their project requirements, accommodating Viñuela's absence for the first five weeks of fall quarter. Riordan took on the bulk of their project’s first half, covering a local investigation, and Viñuela was able to contribute more when he returned to Cal Poly after the Kristin Smart trial’s October verdict.
Though Viñuela was passionate about continuing his work on the trial, the nature of the case took a significant toll on him.
“I believe in the power of hard work and the impacts of a story like this. I know that this story is bigger than me, and I knew that throughout the whole trial. I think at some point that sort of overruled any precaution that I should have taken for my own mental health,” Viñuela said.
Upon returning to San Luis Obispo to finish his last quarter, Viñuela connected with his journalism professors for advice.
“I had a conversation with Brady Teufel, and he shared something similar that he went through when he was a young journalist and it put a lot of it into perspective for me. It was so refreshing, and I felt so supported by it. It put me on the right path,” Viñuela said.
Teufel describes the journalism department’s faculty as the “first line of defense” for supporting student journalists.
“We are a very close-knit department and supporting student success is the main priority. That is why we are here,” Teufel said. “Having that harmony and unity and talking about [struggles] really goes a long way with students — they can feel that. You can bounce from my office and down the hall [to another faculty office] and get that same structure and support and willingness to help students beyond academics.”
Even more than the faculty, Teufel said that the Mustang News students support one another to a considerable degree, “and they really came through for Nico.”
“Every single step of the way,” said Allen, “I was trying to be proactive and look at ‘how can we take just a little bit of time and work off his plate to make it easier and more sustainable for him? I also felt like I had to advocate for him, not only in making sure he didn't burn out but also making sure that he could get paid for his work.”
To manage the intense workload the trial demanded, Viñuela was supported by a team of Mustang News reporters.
“It was so great to have a team working remotely to cover this, even those who weren’t working directly on the stories,” Allen said. “Everyone was so supportive of Nico by promoting his work on social media and sharing everything he was doing, so we felt a really supportive environment around us."
Viñuela also shared, and sometimes sold, his notes to national news organizations, earning him credits as a CBS contributor and NBC freelancer. He developed friendships with fellow media members across the nation, including NBC producer Ann Preisman, CBS Sacramento reporter Madison Keavy, Your Own Backyard podcaster Chris Lambert, and crime reporter Chloe Jones from The Tribune in San Luis Obispo.
“It was an amazing experience to be a part of that group of journalists [covering the trial], because I didn't feel isolated,” Viñuela said. “Even though I was the college journalist, and they were the professional journalists, we were all there going through and seeing the same things.”
In recognition of his work, Viñuela was awarded the $5,000 Lucas Clark and Aja Goare Scholarship in the fall. Journalism faculty members and local reporters Lucas Clark and Aja Goare chose Viñuela for his demonstration of excellence and commitment to journalism while covering the trial.
Viñuela notes that though the experience was challenging, he was supported along the way by various mentors, faculty and his fellow Mustang News reporters. The group that provided him flexibility, advice and an extra pair of hands consisted of students Allen, Lauren Boyer, Riordan, Naomi Vanderlip, Wilson and Wu; faculty members Bisheff, Richard Gearhart, Mary Glick, Patti Piburn and Teufel; and KCBX News Director Benjamin Purper.
“It’s great to, at the end of it, get praise and recognition, but it means nothing to me if it's not also directed toward the people who helped me. There are a lot of people who sacrificed a lot for me to be able to cover the trial. I want to emphasize the fact that I didn't do it alone,” Viñuela said.
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Literature in the Landscape: English Students Study Abroad in Scotland and England
Dec 5, 2022
By Ellison McVicars
Cal Poly students encounter Highland “coo” cows on the Pentland Hills Hike.
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.
The group frequently made its way to Grasmere, Cumbria, home of the Wordsworth Trust's Museum honoring William and Dorothy Wordsworth and other local writers, the poets' home, Dove Cottage and the Jerwood Centre for rare books and literary archives. Jeff Cowton, the principal curator and head of learning, hosted the group at Jerwood, where they learned how to handle manuscripts (delicately!), gained repeated special access to rare first-edition books usually open only to credentialed professors and scholars, and even had the chance to wear period garments while exploring the grounds.
At the Jerwood Centre in Grasmere, students handle engravings from the 19th century that depict the breathtaking Lake District.
Students pick out period costumes to wear at Dove Cottage, the home of William and Dorothy Wordsworth.
Cowton described the experience as a privilege and said he wanted to give students “an experience you couldn’t get anywhere else.” With his guidance, students wrote captions for an upcoming museum exhibit highlighting tourism in the Lake District, including how it has changed over the centuries.
Professor Catherine Waitinas and Associate Professor Brad Campbell took the students on hikes to locations featured in the literary readings, where students studied in situ how walking, wayfinding, and literature work together. Not once did the group meet in an actual classroom: their meetings took place in the great outdoors, from town greens to mountain- and lake-sides and even in a cave. English student Jenna Lyons felt that interacting with the texts in this way “connected me to the literature and the English major.” The whole trip exemplified Learn by Doing in the humanities.
At the Yorkshire moors students climbed around and on the farm house that is said to be the inspiration for the setting in Wuthering Heights.
Guided by the Jerwood team, students sit in John’s Grove in Grasmere and experience the peace that William and Dorothy Wordsworth often wrote about.