The year 2018 proved to be a memorable one for Cal Poly Pomona.
From the switch to semesters to the largest incoming and graduating classes in history to the Broncos men's soccer team capturing its third regional title in four years, the past year has given the university community many unforgettable moments. Here's a list of 10 of the top happenings on campus in 2018.
10. Cal Bridge, a program launched four years ago at Cal Poly Pomona to create a pathway for students from multiple CSU campuses to attend Ph.D. programs in physics and astronomy at UCs across the state, was awarded a five-year, $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to increase diversity the two science fields.
9. The Bronco men's soccer team captured the 2018 NCAA Division II Western Region title, its third in four years, and advanced to the semifinals where they fell to
West Chester 2-1 in overtime.
8. Research on how contamination persists in spacecraft assembly facilities despite cleaning procedures earned international recognition in publications such as Time, Forbes and The Atlantic. Rakesh Mogul, a Cal Poly Pomona professor of biological chemistry, was the lead author of an article on the research that first appeared in the journal Astrobiology.
7. Cal Poly Pomona celebrated the opening of Innovation Orchard on the campus of Ganesha High School. The lab, which is equipped with the latest design prototyping equipment, will serve as a makerspace for university students and a resource for high school students interested in becoming entrepreneurs.
6. The university hosted a groundbreaking for its new Rose Float Lab and Design Complex and announced it will be named in honor of Don Miller and Ron Simons, alumni who jumpstarted the campus's 71-year legacy in the Rose Parade and supported the program as it has grown. The naming came at the request of Wilford "Butch" Lindley ('67, agronomy) and his wife, Vivien, who donated a lead gift of $1 million.
5. Cal Poly Pomona unveiled a branding initiative designed to showcase the university's rich history, mission, economic and social impact in the region, and its commitment to be the epicenter for creativity, discovery and innovation.
4. The Class of 2018 made history by being the largest class the university has ever graduated. The university also welcomed its largest incoming class in Cal Poly Pomona's 80-year history with more than 7,700 incoming first-time and transfer students this fall.
3. Hugh O. La Bounty, the university's third president who was at the helm during a period of tremendous growth, died. He was 91.
2. Carol and Jim Collins gave a $10 million leadership gift, the largest single donation ever to The Collins College of Hospitality Management, to establish the Carol and James A. Collins Excellence Endowment.
1. Cal Poly Pomona completed its conversion to the semester system in the fall.