Recent News
Cal Poly to Award Three Honorary Doctorates at June 16-17 Commencement Ceremonies
Jun 8, 2018
California wine pioneer Jerry Lohr, educator Margaret Fortune, and retired PG&E executive Ed Halpin will be honored
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong will honor wine visionary Jerry Lohr; Margaret Fortune, who leads a network of California charter schools; and retired PG&E executive Ed Halpin, who for five years oversaw the utility’s nuclear assets, including Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant, with honorary doctorate degrees at the 2018 spring commencement ceremonies on June 16-17.
Cal Poly Announces Keynote Speakers for Spring Commencement Ceremonies June 16 and 17
Jun 7, 2018
Andy Jassy, leader of Amazon’s cloud computing business, and alum Wyatt Oroke, a Baltimore middle school teacher, will address grads
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Amazon’s Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon Web Services, the world’s leading cloud computing platform, and Wyatt Oroke, the inspiring Cal Poly alumnus-turned-teacher who gained fame on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” will deliver keynote addresses at three spring 2018 commencement ceremonies June 16 and 17 at Cal Poly.
Oroke will address the nearly 1,500 eligible graduates from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences and College of Science and Mathematics at 9 a.m. and about 1,600 eligible graduates from the College of Liberal Arts and Orfalea College of Business at 3 p.m. on June 16.
Jassy will address more than 1,600 eligible graduates from the College of Engineering and College of Architecture and Environmental Design at 9 a.m. June 17.
Upward Bound Project-Based Learning Program Returns this Summer to Cal Poly
Jun 5, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly’s TRIO Upward Bound will host its second annual project-based learning (PBL) program for local high school students, beginning June 18.
The six-week program is a part of Upward Bound’s Residential Summer Academy at Cal Poly, which aims to provide a college-like experience for local 10th- to 12th-grade students, including on-campus living, dining, classes and group projects.
The PBL program serves as a component of the six-week experience and seeks to better connect students to the community by having them work with local organizations on a variety of projects. Students work in small groups to address each participating organization’s needs by developing a budget, a written proposal, an elevator pitch and a finalized prototype or solution, which will be presented at the conclusion of academy.
Cal Poly Honors Community Volunteers, Groups with Service Awards
Jun 4, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Individuals and organizations in the Cal Poly and San Luis Obispo communities were recently recognized at the 32nd annual Community Service Awards ceremony.
The event, held May 10, honors the contributions of university and San Luis Obispo community members and groups that contribute their time, energy and resources to help build new partnerships and fill unmet needs in the community. The celebration is sponsored by Cal Poly Student Affairs, the Dean of Students and the Center for Service in Action.
Mustang Mile Raises Nearly $4,500 for Carson Starkey-Inspired Research Center at Cal Poly
May 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Cal Poly’s seventh annual Mustang Mile event raised nearly $4,500 to support Aware Awake Alive, a national prevention program founded after the hazing and alcohol poisoning death of Cal Poly freshman Carson Starkey in 2008.
The event, held May 17, drew nearly 400 competitors in a newly revamped obstacle course at Cal Poly’s Doerr Family Field.
Cal Poly Steel Bridge Team Finishes Second in National Competition
May 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — A team of Cal Poly civil engineering students placed second in the National Student Steel Bridge Competition at the University of Illinois — marking the eighth consecutive year Cal Poly has placed in the top 10.
After taking first in the regional competition in April, the Cal Poly team competed against 41 other schools from around the world in the nationals hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign on May 25-26. A team from Lafayette College in Easton, Penn., won the contest, while Montreal’s École de Technologie Supérieure, which had won back-to-back national titles in 2016 and 2017, came in third.
Cal Poly Construction Management Students Donate Tiny Home Structures to Hope’s Village
May 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Construction management students in Cal Poly’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design recently put their skills to work constructing miniature cabins on wheels for a local nonprofit organization.
In past years, students have built what has lovingly been deemed the “tiny house” as part of a 10-week-long course, which culminates in an auction of the homes through Cal Poly’s surplus department. During winter quarter, they did something different: The students partnered with local nonprofit Hope’s Village to donate two structures to the homeless.
Cal Poly to Celebrate Grand Opening of New Oppenheimer Family Equine Center June 1
May 31, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — A grand opening celebration will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, June 1, to celebrate the completion of the first phase of the Oppenheimer Family Equine Center at Cal Poly.
The now-complete 60,000-square-foot covered riding area, foaling barn, stallion barn and hay barn at the northern end of Cal Poly’s campus was funded by the $20 million donation made to the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences from longtime Cal Poly supporters Peter and Mary Beth Oppenheimer.
Cal Poly Engineering Students Take Top Three Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards
May 24, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Students at Cal Poly’s College of Engineering took the top three honors and shared $30,000 in this year’s Innovation Quest, an annual competition that encourages innovators to pursue their ideas by providing award money that can be used to launch businesses.
The competition, sponsored by Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), was held April 28 at the San Luis Obispo Country Club.
Civil Rights Activist DeRay Mckesson to Speak at Take Back the Night Event May 29 at Cal Poly
May 23, 2018
SAN LUIS OBISPO — DeRay Mckesson, a civil rights activist focused primarily on issues of innovation, equity and justice, will be the keynote speaker at Cal Poly’s annual Take Back the Night event at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 29, in the University Union Plaza.
Take Back the Night is an international event with the mission of ending sexual violence. Cal Poly’s event, organized by the university’s Safer office, will focus on the intersections of race and gender-based violence. It will consist of speakers, an open microphone, march on campus, a campus and community programs resource fair, and a candlelight vigil.