Money Magazine’s Latest Best Colleges List
Cal Poly Receives Top Five-Star Ranking
Money magazine has awarded Cal Poly a top five-star ranking in its Best Colleges in America list. Money’s analysis showcased the top 745 colleges and universities in the U.S. based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more. Although there isn’t one “best” college for every student, the magazine says its ratings can help families build a list of standout schools that fit their budgets. Cal Poly also scored well postgraduation, with 91% of graduates working full time or in graduate schools within a year. Students go on to earn median salaries of over $85,000 in their early careers, according to Money’s analysis.
Read more on the Money Magazine rankings
Schedule New Professional Photo Aug. 14 and 15
Faculty and staff are invited to sign up for a free professional portrait Wednesday and Thursday, Aug.14 and 15, from 9 a.m. to noon in the Graphic Communication Building (No. 26). Sign up using CalendlyAppointments are required and intended for those who have not taken a recent head shot. Campus photographers from University Communications and Marketing will take these free shots of current faculty and staff to update professional platforms.
Book your head-shot appointment
Bailey College of Science and Mathematics
View New Livestream Video of Wild Rattlesnake Den
Cal Poly rattlesnake researchers have installed a new camera system at a large den, or “mega-den,” of rattlesnakes in Colorado that livestreams footage to YouTube. The den is a rare habitat attracting hundreds of rattlesnakes because of its geologic features that provide snakes with hiding places and shelter from the elements. The public can tune in anytime to RattleCam.org to watch dozens of pregnant rattlesnakes basking, interacting and, later this summer, caring for their pups. The den is in a remote, undisclosed location on private land in northern Colorado. The high-tech, solar-powered camera system is funded largely by donations.
AASCU Excellence and Innovation Award
Cal Poly Recognized for Efforts to Improve Student Success and College Completion
Cal Poly is the 2024 recipient of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Excellence and Innovation Student Success and College Completion Award. The award particularly focuses on the Cal Poly Scholars program, which seeks to support and retain high-achieving students from California schools who come from low-income backgrounds by providing financial, academic and community resources to help ensure their success at Cal Poly. “We are delighted to have our Cal Poly Scholars program recognized by AASCU,” said President Armstrong. “Cal Poly Scholars is a point of pride across campus and shows what colleges and universities — and talented students — can achieve through focused effort.”
Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
New Downtown Location to Boost Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Economic Development
Cal Poly is revitalizing 1144 Chorro St. in downtown San Luis Obispo, enhancing the campus community, expanding the university’s role in developing innovators and entrepreneurs, and furthering regional economic development. The redeveloped space will house the existing downtown locations of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) and the Cal Poly Mustang Shop. The space will expand access and collaboration among economic development partners, students, faculty, local entrepreneurs and startups in emerging industries. Since 2015, the CIE’s off-campus location has been headquartered downtown at The HotHouse. The new Chorro Street location will offer expanded coworking capabilities with options such as hot desks, dedicated desks, private offices and meeting rooms.
Read more about 1144 Chorro St.
Fundraiser for Wrestler Who Lost Arm in Accident
A GoFundMe campaign has been established on behalf of a Cal Poly wrestler who lost his right arm below the shoulder in a May 27 ATV accident. Dom Mendez graduated from Santa Maria’s Righetti High School in 2022. “His life is forever changed,” said Bernadette Silva, who organized the event to raise $100,000 for a prosthetic arm. Mendez wrestled at 125 pounds this year and was fourth in the Pac-12 Championships. “Sometimes life throws you curveballs, and it was tough,” Cal Poly Head Coach Jon Sioredas told KSBY. “Obviously, for him and his family, this is going to be a big, big change moving forward.”
To donate to the GoFundMe campaign
College of Engineering Marketing and Communications Department
Writer Wins Gold at CASE Circle of Excellence
Emily Slater, a communications specialist in the College of Engineering’s Marketing and Communications Department, struck gold at the annual CASE Circle of Excellence Awards for her article “Senior Project to Help Engineering Student Sail Around the World.” The judges noted: “Great writing, interviews and a compelling narrative made this an award-worthy profile. We found the topic, lessons drawn from it and the ending of this piece exemplary.” The awards were highly competitive, attracting 4,200 entries from 28 countries. Hundreds of communication and advancement professionals volunteered as judges, ultimately selecting 486 top-tier submissions for bronze, silver, gold and grand gold honors.
Read Emily Slater’s award-winning entry
Student Affairs Recognized for Cal Poly Now Paths
Student Affairs staff members have won the Anthology Catalyst Award for Student Experience for their Paths initiative, launched in fall 2023 to all incoming students. Paths, a tool within the Cal Poly Now website and app, guides new students to specific co-curricular experiences that grow noncognitive skills, such as resilience, self-awareness and collaboration, that lead to success and further enhances their Learn by Doing experience. The annual Anthology Catalyst Awards, announced July 1, honor those driving innovation and excellence within higher education. Cal Poly will be recognized at the Anthology Together conference, July 15-17, in Florida.
Learn more about the Catalyst Award Link
University Personnel and Office of University Diversity and Inclusion
July is BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month
University Personnel and the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion aim to raise awareness of the unique mental health struggles of historically disenfranchised groups in the U.S. Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) disproportionately face higher levels of trauma while also having less access to mental health resources. LifeMatters (sign in: calpoly) — the university’s employee assistance program — offers mental health support for all employees and their household members. Contact LifeMatters at 800-367-7474. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline also provides confidential support to people in mental-health related distress. Call or text 988 to reach a mental health professional.
Triathlete Taylor Spivey Bound for Paris Olympics
Cal Poly alumna Taylor Spivey was selected to the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team, USA Triathlon announced in June. Spivey (Architecture, 2014) has been a professional triathlete since graduation. She grew up in Manhattan Beach, California, and was an experienced ocean lifeguard, winning the 2011 and 2012 Ocean Lifeguard Nationals. She went on to become a swimmer and at Cal Poly specialized in long distance. The 33-year-old enjoys the team aspect of triathlon — first as a member of her club team at Cal Poly, and now as a member of the U.S. National Team and frequent U.S. Mixed Relay Team competitor. She lives and trains in Girona, Spain.
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Fifth-Year Students Resurrect Yearbook Tradition
A Cal Poly graduating architecture class has put a new spin on what used to be a mainstay of end-of-the-school-year activities: They published a yearbook. The group is embracing a tradition of hardbound yearbooks that has fallen out of fashion with many colleges and universities across the nation. At Cal Poly, “El Rodeo” was published annually by the Associated Students from 1927-80 with the final annual published in 1990. The artfully arranged book features individual portraits, as well as a favorite architecture project image from each student in its 120 pages. There are photographs of study abroad destinations — including Barcelona, Denmark, Germany, South Korea and Switzerland — and themed shots of the department’s eight distinct studios, as well as other activities that occurred throughout the five-year, nationally renowned program.
Upward Bound Sends High School Grads to College
All of the high school seniors participating in Cal Poly’s Upward Bound program who graduated plan to attend two- or four-year colleges and universities, including Cal Poly, several UC campuses and Brown University. Upward Bound is a federally funded outreach program within Cal Poly Student Affairs that provides free services to local high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds. The program, offered on campus since 1981, supports students while they’re in high school, gives them a glimpse of what it’s like to attend a university and helps inspire them to meet their higher education goals.
Office of the Dean of Students
Students with Dependents Inclusivity Training Is July 26
The Students with Dependents Program, within the Office of the Dean of Students, will host inclusion training on Friday, July 26, from 10-11:30 a.m. The training is for faculty, staff and student employees interested in enhancing inclusive and equitable practices to support students with dependents' success. The goals of this virtual training are to help participants better understand students raising children, learn about higher education policies specific to parenting/caregiving students, and think about how to apply new knowledge to their campus roles. Questions? Contact Courtney Moore, program coordinator, at [email protected].
Register to receive the Zoom information
CSU Summer Webinars
Teaching and Thinking with Artificial Intelligence
The CSU is offering a series of webinars on Teaching and Thinking with A.I., led by author and academic José Antonio Bowen. The first hourlong webinar introduces the series and does not require active participation. Subsequent webinars are two-hours and highly interactive. Recordings will be available on demand for a limited time. Bowen has been leading innovation and change for over 40 years at Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southampton (UK), as a dean at Miami University and Southern Methodist University, and served as president of Goucher College from 2014 to 2019.
Learn more and register for Teaching and Thinking with AI
BIPOC and Cal Poly Alumni Winemakers
Alumni Groups to Host Summer Wine Tasting Experience July 19
Faculty, staff and alumni are invited to the Cal Poly Alumni Affinity Network's BIPOC Winemaker Experience on Friday, July 19, from 5:20-7 p.m. at the Alumni House on campus. Hosted by the Cal Poly APIDA (Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Association), Black and Latinx alumni communities, this educational event features California BIPOC and Cal Poly alumni winemakers. Attendees will start off with a glass of sparkling wine before sitting down for a wine tasting flight and panel discussion by the featured winemakers. Space is limited.
Career Services Announces 2024-25 Job Fair Lineup
The Career Services 2024-25 career fair schedule is available, featuring eight in-person fairs and two virtual fairs. To optimize the experience for students and employers, Career Services asks other departments to avoid scheduling career fairs or major recruiting events on its fair days. Career Services also encourages faculty and staff to help promote the fairs to employers in their networks. These events offer students across all disciplines opportunities for internships, co-ops and full-time roles. The largest fairs typically host representatives from up to 200 companies and organizations, ensuring a diverse range of opportunities for attendees.
2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining Awards
Campus Dining Receives National Honor
Campus Dining was recently recognized by the National Association of College and University Food Services with a 2024 Loyal E. Horton Dining, Nutrition and Sustainability Silver Award in the Retail Sales: Single Concept category for Cal Poly’s What’s Cookin’ Kosher Food Truck. The certified kosher food vehicle has served traditional Jewish cuisine to the campus since March 2023 and is one of only three kosher food trucks in the country, and the only one on the West Coast. Local Rabbi Chaim Hilel of Chabad of SLO, in partnership with Campus Dining, has helped make it a popular and unique culinary experience.
LifeMatters Employee Assistance Program
The university provides access to LifeMatters assistance program for all employees, their household members and dependent children. Around-the-clock support is available to support workers’ emotional well-being. LifeMatters also provides consultation on financial and legal matters, health and workplace issues, child and elder care and convenience services. LifeMatters can be reached at 800-367-7474 and additional contact information is available on the Wellbeing website. Contact Lisa Gray at [email protected] for information.
Poly Escapes Rental Center
ASI Poly Escapes Offers Summer Rental Special
Need to equip your trip? The Poly Escapes Rental Center, located in the Recreation Center (No. 43, Room 108) in the heart of campus, is open throughout the summer quarter. The center offers low-cost gear rentals to equip any adventure, including kayaks, backpacks, tents and more! Enjoy 50% off rentals Tuesday through Thursday with the Summer Special. Visit or contact the Poly Escapes Rental Center for more information at ext. 6-1287 or [email protected].