Student News – Page 9

Cal Poly Women’s Polo Team Wins First Place

The Cal Poly Women’s Polo Team won the national title at the 2023 National Championship at the recent 2023 USPA Division II National Intercollegiate Championships.

The Cal Poly team consists of six men’s team members and 14 women’s team members, and another 10 club members with students from various colleges throughout the university.

After earning a wild card slot leading up to the final competition, the team worked its way to the finals. The team, under the coaching of Megan Judge, overcame a 6-2 deficit at halftime to defeat the University of Connecticut to take the first-place ranking.

The team has been working together since September at Cal Poly’s Oppenheimer Family Equine Center and Central Coast Polo Club to prepare for the national competition. Read more here.

When the clock was counting down, all I could think about was how grateful I am to be a part of the team and how appreciative I am for my coach, Megan Judge,” said Anna Mendez, a third-year animal science major. “Her mentorship has allowed all of us to grow exponentially and this win was just as big for us as it was for her. We have put in so many hours of hard work to get to this point and it made the win that much sweeter, especially because we were the wildcard for the tournament.

Student News

Cal Poly Polo Team Advances to Nationals

Both the men’s and the women’s Cal Poly Polo Team, led by Coach Megan Judge, advanced to compete in the 2023 USPA Division II National Intercollegiate Championships from March 29 to April 2 at the Central Coast Polo Club in Los Osos, California. Students Sofie Rosenquist, Nicole Bailey, Caroline Mathews and Camilla Mcfall will compete for the women’s team and Daniel Miranda, Max Irwin and Jack Dresick for the men’s team.

Faculty News

CAFES Projects in the CSU Research Competition

Two research projects led by faculty in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences were selected to serve as Cal Poly’s delegates to the CSU-Wide Research Competition Apr 28-29, 2023. “Abiotic and Biotic Constraints on Blue Oak Woodland Restoration in the Sierra Foothills,” advised by Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Department Head Jeremy James with students Iris Bookholtz and Fiona O’Neill and “Valorization of Carrot Processing Waste,” advised by Food Science and Nutrition Professor Samir Amin with students Jordan Richards and Jack Madden will be presented.

The CSU Student Research Competition is held each spring to promote excellence in undergraduate and graduate scholarly research and creative activity by recognizing outstanding student accomplishments across the 23 CSU campuses. Current undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent alumni from all academic disciplines can participate. Each year, over 200 students from the 23 CSU campuses submit written papers and make oral presentations before juries of professional experts from major corporations, foundations, public agencies, and universities in California. Cash prizes are awarded.

Faculty News

Professor Named Irrigation Person of the Year

Stuart W. Styles, BioResource and Agricultural Engineering professor and director of the Cal Poly Irrigation Training and Research Center was honored as the Irrigation Person of the Year at the California Irrigation Institute’s 61st annual conference in Sacramento on February 27-28. The keynote speech was delivered by the Director of the California Department of Water Resources Karla Nemeth. In addition, third-year bioresource and agricultural engineering major Brandon Meyer was awarded the “Best Research Poster” during the evening reception. More than a dozen additional BioResource and Agricultural Engineering students attended the event.

Student News

Agribusiness Students Win Second Place

A team of agribusiness students won second place at the National Grocers Association Case Study Competition on February 26-28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The team, consisting of fourth-year agricultural business majors Simran Kurse, Charlotte Courts, Shay Warren, Camille Harteker, and Sophia Pinto competed against 11 other collegiate teams from around the country. The team was tasked with creating a plan to assist Dierbergs, an independent supermarket chain operating 26 stores in the greater St. Louis area, with attracting and retaining Gen Z in the workforce. They devised a four-initiative solution called Dierberg’s Direction, aimed at providing upward potential and a greater sense of fulfillment for younger workers in the stores, commissaries, and corporate offices.

Student News

Two CAFES Students Honored in Sacramento

Nineteen Cal Poly students were recently recognized for their hard work and accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the State Assembly and Senate in Sacramento. Animal science fourth-year Ashley Waymire and bioresource and agricultural engineering fourth-year Fiona Plunkett were a part of the group honored for their achievements. Join us in congratulating them on their hard work!

Student News

California League of Food Processors Expo

A group of students from the Food Science and Nutrition Department recently attended the California League of Food Processors Expo in Sacramento, the largest event of its kind in California, to meet with food processors and make new connections while learning about the latest products and services available to the food processing industry. Students highlighted the Cal Poly program while attending educational seminars and networking.

Events

Fresh Tracks: First Generation Student Panel

The third-annual Fresh Tracks: First Generation Panel + Discussion featured four CAFES students who identify as first-generation college students. The panel of students from the Animal Science and the Natural Resources Management and Environmental Sciences Departments included Diego Ortega, Maya Tjan, Yuliana Guadalupe Hernandez and Vanessa Cervantes. They shared their personal stories of navigating the college experience and offered thoughtful advice for all students. Assistant Professor Moses Mike moderated the event, which was organized by the CAFES Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee as part of the college’s DEI Strategic Action Plan goal to create, retain, and sustain a more diverse community of students, staff and faculty that reflects and serves the diverse people of California.

Diego Ortega talks with guests after the discussion.

Student News

Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team Places Second

The Cal Poly Dairy Judging Team placed second overall at the Southwest Intercollegiate Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas in January. The team consisted of Ashley Waymire, Katey Diniz, and Zoe Bitter. They were coached by Morgan Wonderly and Stan Henderson. Additional team and individual results are below:

𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺
2ND HIGH TEAM OVERALL
3rd High Team Brown Swiss
4th High Team Jerseys
4th High Team Holsteins
4th High Team Reasons

𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝘆𝗺𝗶𝗿𝗲
5th Overall high individual
4th High Jerseys
4th High Reasons

𝗭𝗼𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿
6th Overall high individual

General News

Representing Cal Poly

CAFES Ambassadors traveled more than 2,000 miles in October to attend the 95th annual National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana – bringing California agriculture to more than 60,000 students and teachers eager to learn more. Cal Poly was the only California university on the trade floor this year, educating students in attendance from other areas of the country about California commodities such as wine, strawberries and citrus. Advisor Haley Marconett accompanied Abbie Brown (animal science), Anna Bibby (agricultural science), Maddie Tellesen (agricultural communication) and Megan Dixon (agricultural business) to the convention.

Category: <span>Student News</span>