Reaching New Heights
Editor’s Note
Cal Poly students and alumni are never satisfied. They’re compelled to reach for new heights of excellence, and they point to their Learn by Doing experiences at Cal Poly as the catalyst.
In this edition of Cal Poly Magazine, we share a few of their stories.
There’s Steven Beeks, president of entertainment company Lionsgate, which produces such hit movies and shows as “The Expendables,” “Saw” and “Mad Men.” There’s Marie Samples, an assistant director of the New York City medical examiner’s office, who deploys her Cal Poly science training to solve crimes. And there’s Jim Burns, who works on complex, cutting-edge spacecraft and missile defense programs at Lockheed Martin.
We know you’ll be as impressed as we are by the finance students in Cal Poly’s Chartered Financial Analyst Challenge program, who embark on a brutal year-long course of study to take a test most professionals don’t take until they are 10-year veterans – and who far exceed the national passing rate.
And as further proof that Cal Poly transforms lives, we introduce Maurice McClure, a Mustangs offensive lineman and City and Regional Planning senior. “If it weren’t for Cal Poly,” he says, “I’d probably be at home right now, playing video games on the couch at my mom’s.”
The resident of a rough Bay Area neighborhood who grew up in a single-parent family after his father died young, McClure has flourished at Cal Poly. He’s learned discipline through football, found camaraderie and developed a crucial sense of self-confidence.
“I’ve found out I’m a lot smarter than I thought I was,” McClure says.
We hope you enjoy reading these stories as much as we did preparing them.
Thanks for reading Cal Poly Magazine. I welcome your comments; please contact me at mlazier@calpoly.edu.
• Matt Lazier, editor (B.S., Journalism, 1997)
