Cal Poly College of Liberal Arts

The annual SURP+ Research Poster Symposium will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18! Head to the Engineering Plaza (near Building 192) to check out more than 125 research and creative activity projects completed as part of Cal Poly’s Summer Undergraduate Research Programs (SURPs). Students had the opportunity to work alongside faculty members and community partners to create student-faculty co-authored publications and university-industry-and-community collaborations. The event will be located alongside a Mini Graduate School & Research Opportunities Fair, featuring recruiters from California, Arizona and Colorado, in addition to on-campus programs. Light refreshments will be provided. Explore the following link for more information: https://lnkd.in/gUxpvmma

As part of the CLA’s fourth DEI-focused cluster hire search, we are thrilled to welcome six new faculty from five departments who specialize in migration and immigration in Latinx/e populations. Learn more about the professors and the history of the cluster hires at the following link: https://lnkd.in/gm-NFs8d

Damon Claussen (Graphic Communication, ’96) has worked in Hollywood for over 20 years, editing TV shows, trailers, behind-the-scenes special features, documentaries and more. As a student at Cal Poly, Claussen’s involvement in the Cal Poly Film Club and his companionship with fellow students interested in creating video games helped him form important connections that would later foster his career. Although he didn’t choose to directly pursue his field of study, he credits his time as a Mustang as being both formative and essential to his career path as an editor, teaching him that the best way to gain experience is to “Learn By Doing.” Read more about Claussen’s life and professional journey at the following link: https://bit.ly/47W0YoC 📷: Claussen with George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch

🎢 Have you ever wondered how your favorite Ferris wheels and roller coasters came to be? 🎡 Cal Poly Amusement Park Engineers and Designers (CAPED) has your answer. The interdisciplinary club serves as a community for amusement park and themed entertainment enthusiasts of all majors and experience levels. Their goal is to foster a deeper connection between Mustangs and the themed entertainment industry. CAPED organizes guest speakers, field trips, hands-on creative projects, design competitions and social events for its members. These events provide CLA students with incredible networking and professional development opportunities. Weekly CAPED meetings are held on Tuesdays at 6:10 p.m. To find the location of each meeting, join the club’s Discord server and see daily themed entertainment news and internship opportunities, check out their Instagram @slocaped and website (https://lnkd.in/gPdWJf5T). Are you part of a CLA-related club on campus? Submit your club’s information at the following link for a chance to be featured on the CLA social media: https://lnkd.in/g8pA-k_h

The start of another academic year offers new beginnings, fresh challenges and endless possibilities. Whether you're a first-time freshman, transfer or a returning student, we're thrilled to see you on campus. 📚 The CLA is here to support you as we make the 2024-25 academic year the best one yet! See resources: https://lnkd.in/gxDNisar #CalPolyProud

We’re excited to welcome Julie Bettergarcia as the CLA's new Associate Dean for Diversity and Curriculum! Since 2007, Bettergarcia has been a professor in the Cal Poly Psychology & Child Development Department and held key leadership roles across Cal Poly. She brings strong research expertise in stereotyping, prejudice, stigma, multiracial identity, belonging, and underrepresentation in STEM. We look forward to the impact she’ll make in her new role!

In June 2024, Cal Poly’s Symphony and PolyPhonics choir went on a tour of France which included performances at the American Cemetery in Normandy, in the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Paris and other locations throughout the country. The performances were enthusiastically received, and the Normandy performance — which was close to the 80th anniversary of D-Day — moved audience members and performers to tears. Read more from the Music Department: bit.ly/470gPlF

To honor Carol Ann McEntee's (History, '72) memory and her legacy of education and child development, her husband Bill Badgley recently established a charitable gift annuity that will benefit the Psychology and Child Development Department for years to come. Read the story: bit.ly/3z6JXuK

At the first Cal Poly Night with the San Francisco Giants, fans watched Cal Poly Women's Beach Volleyball alumni Livy Lee (Business Administration, '21) and Erika Foreman (Music, '23; Master of Business Administration, '24) sing the national anthem before Cal Poly Baseball alumnus Brooks Lee (Sociology, '22) took the field as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Over 1,500 alumni filled Oracle Park for the event on Friday, July 12. Learn more: bit.ly/3WW3RC7 📷: Courtesy of Owen Main

A new collaboration between the Cal Poly Digital Transformation Hub (DxHub) and Snopes.com, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), has successfully integrated generative artificial intelligence (AI) to fact check your questions. Learn more about the revolutionary new tool: bit.ly/4dx3nYq