Rose Parade
Cal Poly Float Receives Sweepstakes Award at 2026 Rose Parade®
Cal Poly universities’ “Jungle Jumpstart” rainforest float that showed nature and technology working together to create a better world received the Sweepstakes Award at the 137th Rose Parade® held on a rainy New Year’s Day. The prestigious honor — a first in the schools’ nearly eight decades in the parade — honors the most beautiful float overall and is typically won by larger, commercially built floats or major organizations, not by self-built entries that include the California State University campuses. The universities’ names will be engraved on the permanent award displayed at the Tournament House in Pasadena.
Campus and Community
Guardian Scholars Program Supports Students
From a young age, Bri Frickman Miller knew she wanted to go to college. When she entered foster care as a teenager, education became her lifeline: a point of stability and control in an otherwise destabilized world. But when she arrived at Cal Poly in fall 2023, she felt adrift. Without the support systems many of her peers had, she had no idea how she was going to make it through the next four years. Then, at the beginning of her sophomore year, she found a helping hand in Guardian Scholars.
Learn More About Guardian Scholars
Campus and Community
5 Top Stories from 2025 (And 5 You May Have Missed)
From ancient bacteria to robots in the kitchen, the Cal Poly community experienced some exciting Learn by Doing moments in 2025. Check out the news team’s top stories from 2025, and five more you may have missed.
Campus and Community
See Our Top Photos of 2025
They say a picture is worth 1,000 words. Well, here’s a year’s worth of our favorite images from 2025. That adds up to 12,000 words, or 12 photos — each one capturing the incredible work of our students, faculty and staff. Follow the link below to see them all.
Academic Affairs
Cal Poly Alumnus Joins Japan Exchange and Teaching Program
Cal Poly alumnus Enrique Lecha (Biological Sciences, ’25) is sharing American culture as a participant in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program. Lecha teaches English at two high schools, including one focused on agriculture, through lessons on U.S. landscapes, animals and holidays. His creative activities, like an “Oktoberfest-style” market where students drew and sold handmade wares in English, encourage learning through play and connection. Outside the classroom, Lecha enjoys exploring family-owned restaurants and traveling to nearby cities, including Osaka, Hiroshima and Kobe.
Learn More About Scholarships and Fellowships
International Center
Cal Poly Student Awarded Inaugural AmCham Stephen Brugger Scholarship
The International Center is pleased to announce that Cal Poly Architecture major Julissa Soto is the first-ever recipient of the newly established AmCham Stephen Brugger Scholarship, created in partnership with DIS Study Abroad. Selected for her academic excellence and passion for impactful design, Soto will head to Copenhagen in spring 2026, where she’ll explore Denmark’s innovative approaches to sustainability and human-centered architecture. The scholarship honors Stephen Brugger — a fellow Cal Poly Architecture alum — whose leadership in Denmark has helped open doors to global learning opportunities for future Cal Poly students.
Office of the President
Celebrate Our 125th Anniversary on Spirit Day
We are celebrating 125 years of Learn by Doing. Join the festivities this Thursday, Jan. 8, during UU Hour from 11:10 a.m. to noon. Wear your Cal Poly gear and be part of the celebrations:
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Kennedy Library, UU Plaza – Marching band, cheerleaders, photo ops, giveaways.
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Mayo Hall Patio – Photo ops, giveaways, sweet treats.
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Mustang Business Park – Photo ops, giveaways.
Founded March 8, 1901, Cal Poly is the fourth-oldest university in the CSU system. We have a proud history — and, thanks to you, an even brighter future!
Music Department
Pianist W. Terrence Spiller to Present Recital at Cal Poly on Jan. 9
Pianist and Cal Poly music professor emeritus W. Terrence Spiller will present a recital at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, in Spanos Theatre. The program will begin with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Sonata in A Major,” K. 331 (“Turkish Rondo”); followed by a set of character pieces by Felix Mendelssohn: three “Songs without Words” and his “Rondo Capriccioso,” Op. 14. The second half will feature sets of “Preludes” by Claude Debussy and Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Read More About W. Terrence Spiller
Performing Arts Center
‘The Choir of Man’ Comes to SLO Jan. 9 and 10
Cal Poly Arts presents the Olivier Award-nominated Broadway musical “The Choir of Man” at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9 and 10 at the Performing Arts Center in Harold Miossi Hall. Set in the world’s best pub, this uplifting production serves up 90 minutes of non-stop entertainment featuring your favorite songs from Queen, Guns N’ Roses, Adele, Paul Simon, Avicii and more! This show has something for everyone, including a real working bar on stage. Come ready to drink in the excitement and raise a glass! This event has a 20-percent staff and faculty discount available.
Music Department
Jazz Guitarist Adam Moezinia to Present Demo and Workshop on Jan. 12
Jazz guitarist Adam Moezinia will present a demonstration and workshop with Cal Poly students at 11:10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 12, in in Room 216 of the Davidson Music Center. His presentation will focus on jazz, folk and world music fusion, and he will be joined by bassist Emiliano Lasansky and drummer Marcello Carelli of his group, The Folk Element Trio. The event is free and open to the public.
Leadership and Service
The Ripples Guy Comes to Campus Jan. 15
Leadership and Service invites the campus community to “Cultivating Hope & Humanity in a Polarized World: A Centering Chat with The Ripples Guy” from 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 15, in the Chumash Auditorium, left partition. Paul Wesselmann, known as The Ripples Guy, will return to Cal Poly for a bonus visit after more than 20 years of cheering on new Mustangs. Attendees can expect to leave feeling more grounded, hopeful and equipped to create small but meaningful ripples of connection on campus and beyond. RSVPs through Cal Poly Now are requested to ensure an accurate headcount.
Performing Arts Center
Howl with Laughter at ‘Dog Man: The Musical’
Cal Poly Arts presents “Dog Man: The Musical” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Performing Arts Center in Harold Miossi Hall. Based on the worldwide bestselling hit children’s series by Dav Pilkey, the creator of “Captain Underpants,” “Dog Man: The Musical” is a hilarious and heartwarming production following the chronicles of Dog Man who, with the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture. This event has a 20-percent staff and faculty discount available.