Cal Poly Alumni Association

Marrying my college sweetheart and now my oldest daughter attends the same major I graduated from.

Backstage Pizza

My favorite memory at Cal Poly was Poly Royal each year. The chance to show off what you had learned that year and participate in labs and the magic show to help people understand chemistry and make it fun

I would love to take all of the new Polymer Chemistry classes that have been developed and are now offered and do one of the many research projects that are happening on campus each summer. 

I loved to study in the library which really meant sleeping!

Sigma Kappa Sorority, Poly Royal Board, Accounting Club

I am an elementary school teacher and teach STEM where we are constantly building things and experimenting. 

I was a founding member of Running Thunder (athletics spirit club) and have tons of fond memories of all our crazy times. Something that was really special to me is that through Running Thunder, I got to spend time as our mascot, Musty the Mustang. 

I really enjoyed working as a desk assistant at Sequoia Hall. I met many lifelong friends through that who I otherwise wouldn't have met just going to and from my room on the third floor. Would recommend that job to all incoming freshman!

The history of economics was probably my favorite class. My professor was Solina Lindahl and she was the only professor at Cal Poly I had twice. I jumped at the chance to learn from her again and was so glad I did. The class complimented the otherwise quantitative work I was taking for my degree and based it in theory and philosophy. This really helped me understand the models we were working with and made it more real.

Spring Banquet for CPAC (Cal Poly Accounting Club) and our afterparty where we used the pineapple centerpieces to make piña coladas. 

Mandarin Chinese. I'm trying to learn it now and it would be so much easier if I had started in college!

Spikes 

Dynamics. It was one of the hardest classes I took, and I would love to take it again to better appreciate the physical world around me.

I worked in the Earth & Soil Science Department for Dr. Brent Hallock. I was able to conduct soil erosion and sediment control studies through grant funding. My team was then able to present our findings at a conference of Environmental Professionals. It was an amazing experience for college students to be educating certified professionals in erosion and sediment control. It was a fabulous Learn by Doing experience and showed us what opportunities were available to us.

I had to miss a class field trip because a professor in a different department would not let me miss a midterm. So, Dr. Hallock took one other student and me up to evaluate the soils pits for the State FFA Soil Judging Contest. I learned so much during that small group session and it helped me earn the highest grade on the midterm in the class.

Most of my IT classes were my favorite classes. The instructor, the late "Smitty" was gifted in making the classes interesting, informative and relatable. 

To have the opportunity to continue to work with students, clubs/groups, faculty and staff, university leadership and the community to make Cal Poly the model and example of a great institution that is not only rich in academic excellence but also for its willingness to continue to "move the needle" year after year to embrace an inclusive and diverse student body and faculty/staff.

As a professor at Cal Poly I fully embrace Learn by Doing in my pedagogy! From getting students involved in research on family/interpersonal communication to having students partner with community organizations to create communication-focused handbooks for diverse families to having students work in teams to create podcasts focused on social identities and communicating across differences - Learn by Doing is at the heart of who I am as a professor and scholar! 

I got involved with the CPAA because I am committed to fostering lifelong connections between students, community members, faculty/staff members, departments, colleges, and the University overall. I understand the value the CPAA brings to our students (past and present) and am eager to play a part in cultivating these meaningful relationships! Thanks so much!