Cal Poly Alumni Association

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

My senior project was a group project called “Festival of Wheels.” It was a skateboarding fundraising event for Camp Reach for the Stars, a camp for children with cancer. We held it on the lawn area that is now the Engineering buildings and brought in a huge portable skate ramp, professional skaters, bands, food vendors and more. Each one of us Recreation majors had a part in planning, with mine being Volunteer Management. We created this event from the ground up and raised over $5000 for Camp Reach for the Stars.

Time was spent at Bulls for sure, and I loved to shop at Gap, Express and Structure stores, which are no longer there. Woodstocks was a favorite for pizza, but also liked eating at McLintocks for breakfast. And Thursday night Farmer’s Market of course! 

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.

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. 

U.S. Cultural Heritage (Ethnic Studies 210) – learned so much about our various cultural backgrounds in this class. 

The summer I stayed in San Luis Obispo and was an RA and a WOW leader. 

Giving a campus tour with my fellow BMES officer to a group of fifth graders on a field trip. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, the kids were great and super engaged, asking lots of questions and it was just so much fun to show off the campus and see it through a kid's eye. It really made us apprecaite and be extra proud of being at Cal Poly. 

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!

I remember quite vividly departing Naha Harbor in Okinawa, Japan, during a hurricane. We were inside the harbor, but you could see the size of the waves outside the breakwater. At this point, the captain and crew of the ship made it quite clear: we were no longer learning, but just doing. We were all crew on that ship, and we worked together to get safely off the dock and underway. 

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

Backstage Pizza 

Traveling to Sacramento and testifying at the Senate Committee on higher education for my California Bill project class. The bill we wrote ended up becoming a law! 

I spent all of my time in ASI Student Government where I served as ASI President from 2020–21. 

All my microbiology/chemistry labs. I still can remember some of my professor's names (Dr. Kitts, Dr. Keeling, Dr. Grady and Dr. Cano, to name a few) who made "Learn by Doing" fun and impactful.

To give back to the university what it provided me, the opportunity to be the first in my family to obtain a college degree, by representing the university as a student athelete, which led to fond college memories, lifelong friendships and a career.

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!