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Alumni
Sign Up to Decorate the 2007 Cal Poly Rose Float
Come be a part of an annual tradition: Decorating the Cal Poly Rose Float with the Cal Poly Alumni Association's Los Angeles Chapter. This year's float theme is "Arctic Antics." Alumni, parents and friends will be working to decorate the float in Pasadena Saturday, December 30. Then on Monday, Jan. 1, the CPAA Los Angeles chapter is hosting reserved seating on Colorado Boulevard. Enjoy the 118th annual Tournament of Roses Parade with a grandstand view on Colorado Boulevard. Register by Friday, Dec. 15 to decorate and reserve parade seats.
Right: The 2006 Cal Poly Rose Float on Colorado Avenue
Sign up now to decorate the Cal Poly Rose Float in Pasadena Dec. 30!
Event Details | Registration Form | Cal Poly Rose Float Club Web Site (student club)
Professor's 'Unbridled Spirit' Will Benefit CPAA, Athletics
Catch your own "Unbridled Spirit," a bronze sculpture of a running Mustang created by well-known Western artist (and Cal Poly Animal Science Professor Emeritus) Roy M. Harris. Harris created the life-size Mustang sculpture for the new Memorial Plaza at the entrance to Cal Poly's Alex G. Spanos Stadium, dedicated in September. "Unbridled Spirit"
is now available as a scaled-down limited edition piece. The special collector’s item is being offered in a run of only 40 statuettes, each approximately 16 inches high. Proceeds support the Cal Poly Alumni Association and Cal Poly Athletics. A portion of the sale price is tax deductible.
Read More About the Statuette and Professor Harris
Take a 'Quiet Journey' with Professor's Art
Noted artist and retired Cal Poly art professor Robert Reynolds will sign copies of his new book, “Quiet Journey,” Dec. 14 and 19 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Cal Poly Downtown in San Luis Obispo. Reynolds and Journalism Professor Emeritus Jim Hayes collaborated for “The Art of Robert Reynolds: Quiet Journey,” a 176-page hardbound book released in November. “Quiet Journey” showcases 178 of Reynolds’ paintings of scenes from the Central Coast and California's Sierras, alongside written musings by Reynolds and Journalism Professor Emeritus "Jim" Hayes -- both masters in their fields.
Find Out About the Book Signing Events | Order A Copy of "Quiet Journey"
2007 Ray Scherr Business Plan Competition Open to Alumni
Got a great idea for a product or service -- and need to know how to make it happen? Check out the annual Ray Scherr Business Plan Competition and win up to $4,000 if you submit the winning plan. It's sponsored by the Orfalea College of Business and the Students in Free Enterprise club, with funding by Guitar Center owner Ray Scherr. The competition is open to all Cal Poly students, alumni, staff and faculty members, including those with no B-school background. Participants have the chance to attend workshops with free training on setting their business idea in a winning plan. Final plans this year will be presented to a panel of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and community business veterans.
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Alumni in the News
It pays to major in accounting at Cal Poly -- and work out at the same time. It helps Orfalea College of Business accounting grad Chuck Liddell keep a handle on winnings from his day job: being "The Iceman," the hottest thing in Ultimate Fighting. Liddell faces a challenge for his title Dec. 30 in what's anticipated to be a record-setting pay-per-view cable broadcast. Who else made headlines recently? Mrs. Cubbison, for one. Yes, Virginia, there was a real Mrs. Cubbison. The Martha Stewart of the 1920s was a Cal Poly home ec grad. From Mrs. Cubbison to the Iceman -- plenty of alumni were in the news in the past month. Do you know them? Find out.
Photo Courtesy Icemanma.com
Read About Alumni in the News
University
News
Cal Poly Dedicates New Center
for Hands-On Learning
Cal Poly’s famed “hands-on” learning got a huge boost with the opening of the Bonderson Projects Center in the College of Engineering. The university dedicated the facility in November before hundreds of university officials, engineering educators and industry representatives. Made possible by gifts totaling $8.2 million from Paul R. Bonderson, Jr., and his wife, Sandra, the 19,000-square-foot building is the first on the university campus funded entirely by a private, individual donor.
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Voters Pass Proposition 1-D, Bringing Funding to Cal Poly
California voters approved Proposition 1-D in the November General Elections, bringing $16.7 million in funding to Cal Poly. Included in the Prop 1-D funding was $5 million in planning and design money for the new Center for Science and Mathematics. Plans call for the new center to replace the 50-year-old "spider building" at the heart of campus, where many mathematics and chemistry courses are still held.
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Alex G. Spanos Stadium Formally Dedicated
Cal Poly officially dedicated the newly renovated Alex G. Spanos Stadium on campus Nov. 18. The celebration included confetti, music, thousands of university friends and sports fans, and a big football win over Savannah State University. Kick off for the final home game of the season was delayed 15 minutes as Cal Poly President Warren J. Baker honored Alex G. and Faye Spanos, as well as the entire Spanos family, for their commitment to Cal Poly. Baker also recognized Richard Andrews and Richard O’Neill for their on-going support and dedication to the university and its athletics programs.
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Honors Program Receives $500,000 from National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $500,000 scholarship grant to the Cal Poly Honors Program for financially disadvantaged honors students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The scholarships will support academically talented but financially needy students in the Honors Program. Scholarship students will be required to participate in hands-on projects that have practical value for industry, the local community, or the global community.
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Poly Awarded $423,000 in Scholarships for Science and Math Teachers
A new Cal Poly scholarship program for prospective math teachers offers funding for stellar students – as well as local professionals looking for a meaningful mid-career change.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded Cal Poly $423,000 for 24 one- and two-year scholarships over the next four years. The Robert Noyce Scholarship program is designed to support top students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and attract established professionals interested in pursuing a math or science teaching credential.
More
Expanded 'Agriview' Magazine Now Online
"Agriview," the quarterly magazine of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, has a fresh, new look.
The Fall 2006 edition, just released, is 16 pages of articles and color photography with stories on the college’s new name, upgraded beef facilities, Leaning Pine Arboretum and more.
More on the new look for 'Agriview'
Read the Magazine Online (pdf file) | Download Acrobat pdf Reader -- Free
Cal Poly Planning Department Revising State Catastrophe Plan
Cal Poly’s City and Regional Planning Department now has a crucial role in helping the state prevent losses from major disasters including wildfires, earthquakes and floods. The university has been selected by the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to revise the California State Hazard Mitigation Plan under a contract of more than three-quarter million dollars. The $762,894 contract authorizes the City and Regional Planning Department to update the plan so California will continue to be eligible for federal disaster assistance funding.
More | Read the San Luis Obispo Tribune story
California Poised to Take Cheese Crown:
Cal Poly Professors, DPTC Helping
Last year, California turned out 2.14 billion pounds of cheese -- nearly a quarter of the nation's supply. The total puts California hot on the heels of the 2.4 billion pounds of cheese produced every year in Wisconsin, the state that bills itself as "America's Dairyland." The Dairy Products Technology Center in Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences has been helping Golden State in the cheese race for nearly a decade. The DPTC offers a full menu of short courses, many taught by director and Professor Phil Tong, aimed at professionals and novices alike. The DPTC has brought a new generation of artisan cheese makers online and helped dairy farmers add profitable cheese lines to their operations.
Read the Boston Globe Story Mentioning Cal Poly's Artisan Cheese Workshops & Alumni
Visit the Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center Web Site
Read about famous Cal Poly DPTC artisan cheese alumni
Today's
Students
Rodeo Champ Ben Londo, Cal Poly Rodeo Team Profiled in LA Times
Cal Poly Rodeo champ Ben Londo and Cal Poly's top-ranked rodeo team were profiled on the front page of the Los Angeles Times Tuesday, Nov. 21. Londo, a construction management senior, won the national collegiate rodeo Men's All-Around title in 2005 and 2006. It's a feat similar to being a two-time Heisman Trophy winner in college football. He's a top contender for the title again this year -- and if he takes it, he'll be only the second in collegiate rodeo history to do so. The Cal Poly Men's Rodeo Team is currently ranked second in the nation and the Women's Team is sixth. Londo is leading the All Around Cowboy standings for the West Coast Region, along with the national standings.
Read the Los Angeles Times story on Londo and the Cal Poly Rodeo Team
Poinsettia Project Still Growing Strong
Cal Poly's annual poinsettia sale, featuring more than 2,500 plants in 29 different varieties and several colors, is going on now at the Poly Plant Shop and continues through mid-December. The plants are grown by students involved in the university's Poinsettia Agriculture Enterprise Project, which begins in the spring of every year. This year's poinsettia project offers an assortment of reds, whites, pinks, and other novelty varieties such as Jingle Bells and Marbles. Plant sizes range from a few inches to four feet tall. Offerings include traditional, centerpiece, and tree-shaped forms. Prices range from $6 to $60.
More
Cal Poly Named to President’s Honor Roll
for Student Community Service
Cal Poly was recently named to the first President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for distinguished community service. The award recognizes volunteer efforts by the university and its students in serving Gulf Coast communities in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Cal Poly and 140 other colleges and universities were recognized for distinguished service from among a field of nearly 500 schools.
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City and Regional Planning Students Take on Ventura Avenue
Putting Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" philosophy on public display, some 20 city and regional planning seniors are spending the next five months studying Ventura Avenue in Ventura. The students have already led a public planning workshop attended by about 100 Ventura residents. They're gathering community input and developing a vision for Ventura's future, to be presented to the Southern California city next spring.
Read the Ventura Star article
Faculty
& Staff
Earth & Soil Sciences Professor
Receives International Education Award
Professor Delmar D. Dingus of the Earth and Soil Sciences Department in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is the recipient of the 2006 Cal Poly International Educator Award. The annual honor, sponsored by International Education and Programs, recognizes a faculty member who has significantly contributed to international education at Cal Poly. Dingus’ wide-ranging efforts include coordinating the International Agriculture Development Graduate Program, co-producing a video entitled "World Population and the Food Supply."
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Professor’s Book Offers Latest on Digital and Variable Data Printing
The head-spinning evolution of digital printing technology continues to be a hot topic in the graphic communication industry, according to Penny Bennett, Cal Poly Graphic Communication professor. Bennet is the author of the printing industry’s latest book on digital printing and variable data printing. “The Handbook for Digital Printing and Variable-Data Printing,” is the culmination of years of research by the professor, and was published by the GATFPress.
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Dairy Grad Students and Professors
Present Research in Shanghai
Cal Poly Dairy Products Technology Center students and faculty gave oral presentations, presented research posters and chaired sessions on a global stage at the 27th International Dairy Federation World Dairy Congress recently in Shanghai, China. Cal Poly faculty and students were among approximately 1,000 registrants from some 50 participating countries. In attendance were dairy researchers and dairy industry leaders from throughout the world. Grad student Jessica Yee and Dairy Science professors Phil Tong and Raul Jimenez presented papers at the conference.
More
Cal Poly Appoints Scholarship Coordinator
Cal Poly’s University Advancement division has appointed Allison Jones as its first scholarship coordinator. Jones will help establish scholarships, internships and endowments. She will also coordinate donor relations and will develop and maintain the scholarship giving Web site.
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Coming
Up
Popular 'Christmas Celebration' Choir Concert is December 9
The
Cal Poly Choirs' "A Christmas Celebration" concert is set for Saturday, Dec. 9, at 8 p.m. in the Christopher Cohan Center. Ring in the holidays with the Cal Poly Choirs as they present their annual holiday gift spectacular. Joining PolyPhonics, The University Singers and the Early Music Ensemble will be the Cal Poly Brass Ensemble, conducted by Keith Snell. Holiday favorites from the university's Barbershop Quartets and a carol sing-a-long are sure to put put everyone into the spirit of the season. Tickets are $17 & $20 general, $16 & $19 seniors/$10 students. Buy your tickets early -- this holiday event sells out every year!
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Irish Tenors in Christmas Concert December 12
Cal Poly Arts presents the Irish Tenors in a holiday concert Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 8 p.m. in Harman Hall in the Christopher Cohan Center.
Gifted interpreters of a wide range of music, The Irish Tenors rocketed to household name status in record time. Following a wildly popular PBS special in 1999, The Tenors quickly found themselves performing for 15,000 fans at Madison Square Garden during a sold-out U.S. tour. They've sold more than 2 million records, starred in four more PBS concerts, and produced a wildly successful Christmas special. The trio—lyric tenor Anthony Kearns, romantic tenor Finbar Wright, and operatic tenor Karl Scully—blend traditional carols and classic Irish ballads in Irish Tenors Christmas. The event is a majestic pops-style yuletide concert featuring a 48-piece orchestra.
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Mid-Year Commencement Set for December 16
Cal Poly's mid-year Commencement is set for Saturday, Dec. 16. The ceremony for grads from the College of Agriculture Food and Environmental Sciences, College of Education, and College of Science and Mathematics will be held at 9 a.m. in the ASI Rec Center. The ceremony for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design and the College of Liberal Arts ceremony will be at 1:30 p.m. in the Rec Center. The College of Engineering and the Orfalea College of Business ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. in the Rec Center.
More
Cal Poly Arts Brings Garrison Keillor Back for More January 24
Cal Poly Arts presents the charming, witty, and always
entertaining writer and humorist Garrison Keillor in his third return engagement at the Performing Arts Center Wednesday, Jan. 24. Curtain time is 8 p.m. in Harman Hall in the
Christopher Cohan Center. Keillor is probably best known
for his widely popular radio show "A Prairie Home Companion" and his
best-selling books, including "Lake Wobegon Days." Spend “An Evening With Garrison Keillor” Jan. 24. Tickets for this special added Cal Poly Arts Center Stage event are on
sale now at the Performing Arts
Center Ticket Office.
More
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