2024 McPhee Scholar – Ally Hubbard

Flagstaff, Ariz. is almost 500 miles from Cal Poly Pomona. When Ally Hubbard was searching for colleges, distance, and everything else was secondary to one thing: Arabian horses.

Hubbard grew up on a small, 4-acre farm in Arizona. She fell in love with Arabian horses early in life, and her family supported her as she grew into an accomplished equestrian. It was a passion she wanted to continue through college and discovered there were two colleges in the country with centers dedicated to her favorite animal.

“I loved the idea of participating in their historical Sunday Shows and the many opportunities to learn and be involved with the breed,” Hubbard says. “I chose Cal Poly Pomona for their prestigious and highly accredited business school as well as their involvement with Arabian Horses at the Kellogg Arabian Horse Center.”

Hubbard got involved with the Horse Center right away. She joined the Cal Poly Pomona Equestrian Team, eventually becoming the horse show manager, and competing for CPP during Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association events. She also exemplified the “student” part of “student-athlete.”

Of the College of Business Administration’s 342 members of the Class of 2024 to graduate with academic honors, Hubbard was one of only two undergraduates to achieve a 4.0 grade point average. Making the feat more impressive is that Hubbard was able to complete her bachelor’s in half the time of the typical college student.

To graduate in two years, Hubbard took an aggressive course load year-round. She enlisted the help of CBA Student Success Center advisor Pamela Adams and International Business and Marketing Management department chair Professor Jun Myers to ensure no effort went to waste, including summer courses at a Flagstaff community college.

Along with perfect grades, entertaining Sunday audiences during the historic horse shows and involvement with the campus equine organizations, Hubbard was active with business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi and the American Marketing Association.

Hubbard will speak during the second of the College of Business Administration’s two ceremonies scheduled to honor the CBA’s Class of 2024 scheduled for noon on May 19. Her goals after graduation include returning to Arizona to pursue a master’s degree, then beginning a career with a Fortune 500 company and remaining active in the equine community.