"When I think of Cal Poly Pomona, I think of a vibrant, diverse, polytechnic university."
One line sums up the emotion, excitement and passion for Cal Poly Pomona expressed in the video for the Campaign for Cal Poly Pomona.
Designed educate and inspire pride, the campaign video highlights the university's distinctive learn-by-doing philosophy, faculty members who are both teachers and scholars, cutting-edge programs and curriculum, and the legacy of W.K. Kellogg. In dozens of interviews, faculty, students, staff, alumni and university supporters share their thoughts about Cal Poly Pomona. Their words and voices describe the university's one-of-a-kind educational experience and its transformational impact.
The video's development is a perfect example of learn-by-doing.
"Most campuses lean on outside consultants to put together a campaign video that would share the university's story and make a case for support. When we began researching videos, we realized this is something we can - and should - do," says Uyen Mai, director of the Office of Public Affairs. "No one knows Cal Poly Pomona as well as we do. And while we had never done a project like this before, we figured this was just another example of learn-by-doing in action."
Staff from I&IT's eLearning department and public affairs collaborated on the months-long project, which was the first of its kind for both teams, and received tremendous support from the campus community. For every person who appeared on camera, there was another individual who volunteered behind-the-scenes, including theatre Professor Linda Bisesti, who assisted in the audio recording studio, and Dean of Students Rebecca Gutierrez Keeton, who recruited the crowd of students for the closing shot.
"I&IT and public affairs staff pushed themselves technically and creatively to produce a video that would tell the story of the university and of the $150 million campaign," says Karen Brzoska, associate director of eLearning. "We also benefitted by developing closer relationships and getting to know people across campus and in the community."
Music Professor Mark Chubb, who volunteered to score the video over the summer in his home studio, says he was excited to encapsulate the identity of Cal Poly Pomona through music.
"The music is the emotion. The music is designed to pull you in emotionally and tell you how to feel," Chubb says. "We wanted something that was inspirational and uplifting. What people were saying in the video interviews was something that resonated with me as a faculty member. Just hearing that come from other people was very inspiring, and it took me places emotionally."
A sneak preview of the video was shown to faculty and staff during Fall Conference in September. Alumni, donors and university friends watched official premiere at the Nov. 5 gala event, which celebrated the public launch of the campaign. The video is available on YouTube, and an HD version is on the university's video website.
Cal Poly Pomona has embarked on a $150 million comprehensive fundraising campaign to ensure that a quality college education is within reach for future generations of students. The campaign will strengthen the university's ability to provide a hands-on education, to prepare students for the changing demands of the workplace, and to increase research and scholarship opportunities. The fundraising campaign relies on the support of the entire campus community - from alumni to faculty and staff to friends of the university. For more information, visit https://campaign.cpp.edu/.