Student Success – Cultivate Spring 2025
Definition of Success
1 a: degree or measure of succeeding b: satisfactory completion of something c: the gaining of wealth, respect or fame 2: a person or thing that succeeds
Champions Tour
Six CAFES students were among the 27 outstanding students honored at the 2025 Champions Tour in Sacramento at the State Capitol, celebrating their achievements and impact. Jack Busch, Marc Cabeliza, Victoria Chau, Marlene Delgado, Reagan Denny and Caroline Kargenian proudly represented the college.
Dressage Team Claims Title
Cal Poly Dressage Team hosted its home show in February at the Oppenheimer Family Equine Center, claiming the Region U Intercollegiate Dressage Association Hight Point Team title. Animal science majors Lily-Rose Bacon, Kaileen Grace, Caroline Kargenian and Lucas Rupp advanced to the national competition in St. Louis, Missouri.
World of Pinot
Cal Poly students helped host the World of Pinot Noir Tech Symposium, setting up the tasting mats and glass ware, participating in tasting and critiquing of flights and talking with industry attendees. Products tasted were wines with problems or defects from the 2024 vintage.
Fresh Tracks
Four CAFES students shared their personal experiences of being first-generation college students at the annual Fresh Tracks event in January. Brooklyn McGruder, Maya Tjan, Luis Cruzgarcia and Dayana Santiago answered questions and gave advice on maximizing the value of a college education. Their stories and desire to improve the diversity of the college’s students are paving the way for future first generation students to find their place at Cal Poly.
Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow
Third-year agricultural communication major Andrew Angulo is serving as the National President of Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT). In January, he traveled to Oklahoma State University for the National ACT Professional Development Conference, a student-led event focused on professional growth for ACT members nationwide. Angulo presented at one of the sessions on civic engagement in agriculture, sharing agricultural policies from California and their economic and political implications on American agriculture.
National Landscape Competition
A team of 12 students from the Plant Sciences Department competed in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition at Colorado State University in March, with two top-three finishes and several top-10 finishes in individual events. One student, Emma Whitehead, placed fourth overall out of 727 students. Cal Poly placed 17th out of 54 schools, the highest-placing school of teams with 12 or fewer members.
Western Bonanza
More than 215 students took the reins to fully manage every aspect of the 40th annual Western Bonanza Junior Livestock Show. Students managed everything from the show rings and facility operations to sponsorships, awards and media coverage. Through the ASCI 212 and 412 classes, students gain hands-on experience each year in planning, organizing and executing the largest and most prestigious student-run junior livestock show in the nation.
Cal Poly at the Capitol
Students in the course AG 452: Current Trends and Issues in California Agriculture traveled to Sacramento, presenting comprehensive research on California agricultural issues including water, agricultural literacy, labor, policy and climate change to industry leaders and government officials. The students also met with California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, assembly members and senators. This marks the 24th class since the program's founding in 2001 by George Soares, now having prepared over 500 students through this transformative professional experience.
California Agriculture Day
College Ambassadors Megan Dixon and Anna Bibby represented the college at California Agriculture Day at the State Capitol in March. The annual event, hosted in partnership with California Women for Agriculture and the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, celebrates the state’s agricultural industry by highlighting its diverse crops and commodities. Ag Day brings together farmers, ranchers, legislators and the public to promote agricultural education and appreciation. This year, attendees also had the opportunity to hear from California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom and California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass, who shared insights on the significance of agriculture in our state.
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