An Extraordinary Polytechnic University

On New Year’s Day 2019, the 71st Cal Poly Universities’ entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade glided down Colorado Avenue in Pasadena. Titled “Far Out Frequencies,” the float was a tribute to the universality of music, and once again, our joint entry with San Luis Obispo was an embodiment of creativity, collaboration, and countless hours of hard work. 

But this year was different. For the first time, we were honored with the “Extraordinaire Award” for creating the most extraordinary entry. This was our 59th trophy — an incredible achievement for the parade’s only student-designed and student-built entry. But this achievement proves to be even more remarkable when considering the previous years’ honorees. In recent years, other honorees of the “Extraordinaire Award” included major corporate entities such as Disneyland, Trader Joe’s, UPS and Farmers Insurance. In other words, the work of our students measures up to and even exceeds the work of even the most experienced professionals.

Of course, for anyone who has studied, taught, worked, or even spent any time at Cal Poly Pomona, this comes as no surprise. At Cal Poly Pomona, students participate in an immersive educational experience that is inclusive, relevant, and engaging; where connecting theory and practice sits at the core of every curricular and co-curricular activity and where learning by doing is a given. The end result is that our students leave our campus uniquely prepared to succeed in their careers and in life.

This edition of CPP Magazine highlights the impact of Cal Poly Pomona’s inclusive polytechnic model. Through stories of current students and recent alumni, you’ll read how  our commitment to experiential learning, multidisciplinary perspectives, collaboration, and professional readiness provides a one-of-a-kind educational experience and puts our graduates on a path to their “dream jobs.”

We didn’t need a trophy from the Tournament of Roses to prove to us that Cal Poly Pomona is extraordinary. We’ve been proving it for more than 80 years through a legacy of creativity, discovery and innovation. And with each new class of incoming students and every cohort of graduates, our inclusive polytechnic legacy grows.

Sincerely,

Soraya M. Coley
President