Billy Bob Thornton Visits Screen Acting Class

In April, Billy Bob Thornton visited Cal Poly’s campus to speak with students in industry professional Katy Dore’s screen acting class. Thornton, an acclaimed actor, accomplished singer-songwriter and proud Cal Poly dad, discussed his experience in the industry and helped students navigate their own journeys as aspiring entertainment professionals.

A.J. Nicholson Awarded NSF Graduate Research Fellowship

A.J. Nicholson (Anthropology and Geography, ’25) was awarded the highly prestigious and nationally competitive National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship for 2026. Nicholson, who is currently pursuing a graduate degree in medical anthropology at Southern Methodist University, was recognized alongside a small fraction of applicants for his exceptional promise as a future scientific leader. This award highlights both Nicholson’s individual academic excellence and the strength of the Social Sciences Department’s unique Learn by Doing research training.

Mustang Band Performs at SF Chinese New Year Parade

Cal Poly’s Mustang Band performed at the Alaska Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco for the 11th consecutive year. They received their official acceptance during fall quarter, with planning and preparation beginning immediately after. Mustang Band added extra rehearsals to their usual practice schedule, ensuring that they had the stamina and perfected setlist needed for the nearly two-mile-long route. More than 200 students, staff and faculty traveled to San Francisco for the parade performance.

Students Place in Spanish-Language Civic Debate

Students from universities in Mexico and the United States gathered in Mexicali for Legados, a Spanish-language civic debate event exploring policies, cultural trends and ideologies that affect Californians, using binational collaboration to evaluate and elevate these issues. Addison Fowkes, a second-year psychology student, Nico Julia (Anthropology and Geography, Political Science and Spanish, ’26) and Hunter Larson (Communication Studies, ’26) placed second, representing Cal Poly’s Spanish Debate Team.

Student Film Shown at Multiple Film Festivals

“Sticky,” a student film created by the Mustang Film Society, was selected for the 2025 Portland Film Festival and the 2026 Pasadena Film Festival, where is was nominated for Best Student Film. “Sticky,” a short romantic comedy, was a collaboration between students from multiple colleges, including lead actress Ava Romano, a fifth-year anthropology and geography and computer science double major. The film was written and produced by Zach Berston (Journalism, '25) and directed by Natalie Venable (City and Regional Planning, '25).

Ethics Bowl Team Competes at Regional Semi-Finals

The Ethics Bowl Team competed in the Western Regional Bioethics Bowl at San José State University, with one of two teams finishing with a top record and qualifying for the semi-finals. Guided by philosophy assistant professors Daniel Story and Jacob Sparks, the team discussed cases involving shield laws, xenotransplantation, algorithmic bias, artificial wombs and gender-affirming care.

David Askay Selected as Fulbright Scholar

Communication studies professor David Askay received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Japan, hosted by Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. His research explores how embracing ambiguity - known in Japanese as yuragi - can enhance creative team collaboration. Askay will conduct research with student and professional teams, designing and testing collaborative frameworks that encourage flexible thinking and experimentation. He will also teach courses in design thinking and learning from failure, and work with institutional partners to build infrastructure supporting future student exchange and collaborative research opportunities between Cal Poly and Ritsumeikan University.

ISLA Students Selected for CSU Student Research Competition

Sarah Kula (Interdisciplinary Studies, ’26) and Kate Pallemaerts (Interdisciplinary Studies, ’26) were among ten students selected through an internal competition to represent Cal Poly at the 2026 CSU Student Research Competition, hosted by San José State University. Kula’s project, “My Little White Savior: Purity and Saviorism in My Little Pony: The Movie,” won first place in the Humanities and Letters category. Pallemaerts’ project, “Analyzing the Behavioral Impact of Educational Shifts Due to COVID-19 in a Public High School in Washington,” was completed as her senior project and included several interviews of high school teachers regarding their pandemic experiences.

“Mawtini: Arab American Narratives of Home and Belonging” Exhibit at Kennedy Library

Mawtini, which means “my homeland” in Arabic, is a community-centered oral history and archiving project documenting the lives, contributions, and enduring legacy of Arab Americans in California's Central Coast. Through recorded interviews, collected artifacts, and digital storytelling, the project preserves these stories for future generations. Curated by history assistant professor Farah Al-Nakib, theatre and dance lecturer Sandra Sarrouf, community members Vicki Tamoush and Noha Kolkailah, this ongoing project aims to not only uncover and amplify the histories of Arab Americans, but also to explore the many ways Arab American experiences intersect and entwine with those of other immigrant, BIPOC, and marginalized groups in San Luis Obispo.

Jasper Burgard Awarded 2026 Critical Language Scholarship

Jasper Burgard, a third-year international strategy and security student at Cal Poly Maritime Academy, was awarded a Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) to study advanced Russian in Daugavpils, Latvia. Burgard is Cal Poly Maritime Academy’s first-ever CLS recipient and the fifth recipient from Cal Poly overall. He plans to apply his language and analytical skills to security research on the Baltic region and to a future career as a United States Marine Corps officer.

Tabitha Lee Chon Receives 2025 CSU University Trustee’s Scholar Award for Outstanding Achievement

Tabitha Lee Chon, a third-year international strategy and security student at Cal Poly Maritime Academy, received a 2025 California State University Trustees’ scholar award for outstanding achievement and a scholarship of $7,000. Like the other honorees, Lee Chon was selected for her superior academic performance, personal accomplishments and community service. After graduation, she plans to continue her career as a Marine officer and eventually work in federal law enforcement.

Inter-College Student Teams Place in International Packaging Design Challenge

Two student design teams, PAWSH and Teef Story, placed second and third respectively in the 2025 Paperboard Packaging Alliance Student Design Challenge. This annual competition invites students from across North America to design and innovate creative approaches to paper-based packaging in response to customer needs and marketing scenarios. Art and design students teamed up with students from the Orfalea College of Business to solve these unique industry and real-world problems with original and sustainable packaging solutions.

Graphic Communication Students Place in Phoenix Challenge

The Phoenix Challenge Team placed in the 2026 Phoenix Challenge Competition, receiving awards in both the conception and execution categories. The group of graphic communication students worked with client Baby Bear Biscuits, a SLO-based cafe specializing in Southern comfort food. The Phoenix Challenge Team designed and created three flexographically-printed products for the small business: a biscuit box, a cup label and a container wrap.

Gwen Ramsey Honored by State Lawmakers on the Floors of the Assembly and Senate in Sacramento

Gwen Ramsey (Anthropology and Geography ’26) was one of twenty-six Cal Poly students honored by state lawmakers on the floors of the Assembly and Senate in February (Among the group, six students represented the CLA.) Each student recognized had achieved a variety of awards and accolades. Ramsey is passionate about environmental sustainability, geospatial science and human-environment interactions, and has been honored for her academic achievements nine times. Outside of the classroom, she is a member of Cal Poly Cycling and has helped the team win 24 medals at the last two national mountain biking championships.

Jackson Martinez Appointed as CSU Board of Trustees Student Representative

Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed third-year political science student Jackson Martinez as one of two student representatives on the CSU Board of Trustees. Martinez will contribute to policy decisions and the fiscal, academic and administrative governance of the CSU. Through this opportunity, he will help represent the voices and interests of students at the entire CSU system while gaining invaluable leadership and governance experience. Martinez brings significant public service and policy experience from his current position as secretary of accessibility for Associated Students Inc. and previous internships with the Service Employees International Union, the Office of U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal and the Office of California Assemblymember Gregg Hart.

History Alumnus Jack Martin Selected as IATPP Visiting Scholar

Jack Martin (History, ’23 and History M.A., ’25) was selected as a visiting scholar at Cal Poly’s Institute for Advanced Technology and Public Policy (IATPP), an interdisciplinary research center promoting solutions to real-world problems by driving public policy through advanced technology. Martin’s research focuses on the history of race in Latin America, the United States and the Southwest Borderlands/California. He is a primary contributor to the African Californios Project, which explores the history of California’s African-descended population.

First Sociology Pathway Program Cohort Graduates

At 2026 Commencement, President Armstrong recognized the first student cohort to graduate from Cal Poly’s first pathway program. This milestone is part of Cal Poly’s broader mission to increase access to bachelor’s degrees for local students by partnering with community colleges. Pathway programs allow students to complete their associate’s degree at a community college, transfer to Cal Poly and complete a bachelor’s degree in two additional years by taking courses from Cal Poly faculty at their community college campus. The sociology pathway program, in partnership with Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, CA, offers courses in formats designed to support students balancing education, work, family and other responsibilities. This inaugural cohort is already demonstrating pathway programs’ impact through academic excellence and contributions to the community.

Kylie Parrotta Awarded Social Sciences Continuing Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award

Kylie Parrotta, associate professor of criminology and sociology, was awarded the 2025-26 Social Sciences Continuing Excellence in Undergraduate Mentorship Award. The award, presented by the Council on Undergraduate Research, celebrates faculty members who provide consistent, meaningful mentorship that supports undergraduate growth, learning and engagement in the social sciences.

Cal Poly Liberal Arts + Birmingham City University Workshop

As part of an ongoing collaborative partnership between Cal Poly and Birmingham City University (BCU), several students from the Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies Program took part in the BCU x Cal Poly STEAM Sprint, a four-day interdisciplinary design workshop that challenged participants to share ideas and push creative boundaries. Students worked in global teams on six interdisciplinary projects, with tasks ranging from the reimagining of immersive educational experiences for the Santa Barbara Zoo to the reprogramming of a Star Wars droid named Frida.