CAFES News – Page 3

Anne Saxelby Apprenticeship Program Now Accepting Applications

On Feb. 13 at 11:10 a.m., the Center for Sustainability will host an informational meeting about the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund Apprenticeship Program, a paid, 30-day learning opportunity at a sustainable farm or food business across the United States. Applications for the program are due Sunday, March 16. Learn more here. Have questions? Connect with the Center for Sustainability Director Claire Balint (cbalint@calpoly.edu).

Student News

New CAFES Advising Member

Austin Ferguson recently joined the CAFES Advising team to support students in the Natural Resources Management & Environmental Sciences department. Before this role, he worked at the Mustang Success Center, where he guided first-year students and Cal Poly Scholars in CAFES.

Student News

2025 Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program

Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 Panetta Institute Congressional Internship Program. This prestigious program encourages and develops future leaders and prepares individuals for greater civic involvement. Cal Poly has participated in this program since 2001. This opportunity is open to qualified students from any major who have an interest in Congress, civil leadership or public service and are matriculating third or fourth-year students. Complete program requirements and details are available at https://provost.calpoly.edu/content/internship. The application deadline is Friday, Feb. 14, by 11:59 p.m. PST.

Student News

Agricultural Communication Student Chairs National Event

The National ACT Professional Development Conference (PDC), an annual national event for agriculture communication students with opportunities to advance professional and personal development, was held mid-January at Oklahoma State University. Third-year agricultural communication major Andrew Angulo attended as the national president of the organization and also on behalf of the Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow club within the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

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. “As the national president of this organization, I also chaired the 2025 PDC Annual Business Meeting where business surrounding National ACT was discussed,” he said. “The National ACT PDC hosted over 30 speakers ranging from careers as journalists for the Oklahoma Farm Bureau to Dr. Clary, the Associate Dean of the Ferguson College of Agriculture and Cal Poly alumni.”

Student News

Equestrian Team Takes High Point Title

The Cal Poly Equestrian Team hosted its collegiate western show at the Oppenheimer Family Equine Center on Jan. 25 and 26. Reedley College, College of the Sequoias, Stanford, U.C. Davis, Cal Poly Pomona and Sonoma State were also in attendance. Cal Poly won Reserve High Point Team on Saturday and High Point Team on Sunday. Fellow Mustangs Baeya Kardokus and Anna Carmen won reserve high point rider on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

Faculty News

Faculty in the News

Ricky Volpe: Egg prices are likely to shoot up even more in 2025. Here’s what to know: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/eggs-prices-shortages-bird-flu-2025/

Daniel Scheitrum: Concerns of price gouging after L.A. wildfires at Cal Poly: https://keyt.com/news/money-and-business/consumer/2025/01/22/concerns-of-price-gouging-after-l-a-wildfires-at-cal-poly/

Frank Frievalt: Domino Effects: Insurance after LA fires: Bloomberg (Wall Street Week) Interview:

Marc Horney and Frank Frievalt: Startups Race to Build Bigger, Better Drones to Fight Bigger, Hotter Wildfires: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/startups-race-build-bigger-better-drones-fight-bigger-hotter-wildfires-rcna187152

Frank Frievalt: On America’s Wildfire Nightmare: https://www.climateproof.news/p/frank-frievalt-on-america-s-wildfire-nightmare

Frank Frievalt: ‘It was a hellscape’: The challenge of evacuating Los Angeles during wildfires: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20250109-why-los-angeles-was-so-hard-to-evacuate-during-the-wildfires

Student News

Fresh Tracks student panelists discuss academic experience

On Jan. 16, four CAFES students shared their personal experiences of being first-generation college students. Brooklyn McGruder, Maya Tjan, Luis Cruzgarcia and Dayana Santiago were the panelists who 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.

General News

Brian Horgan Named as New Dean of the College

Brian Horgan has been named dean of Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), effective July 1, 2025.

Horgan, who currently serves as a professor and associate dean for faculty affairs and development in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Michigan State University (MSU), brings a wealth of experience and innovative leadership to the role. His past positions include chair of the Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences at MSU, as well as several leadership roles in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota (UMN), including interim head and extension program leader.

“Dr. Horgan’s alignment with Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing philosophy and his forward-thinking leadership uniquely position him to guide CAFES into its next chapter of excellence,” said Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore, Cal Poly’s provost and executive vice president for Academic Affairs. “His expertise will enhance the college’s role as a leader in agricultural innovation and sustainability, ensuring that it continues to make a lasting impact on California and beyond.”

Planning Workshop for the CAFES Farm Store

Please join us Friday, Feb. 14 for a kick-off planning workshop for the new CAFES Farm Store, part of the Plant Sciences Complex from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Center for Wine and Viticulture, Bldg.156, 110. The college recently received a large donation that has enabled us to move forward with planning a new CAFES Farm Store. It will bring together all of the college’s food and agriculture products at a single, central campus location serving the campus and community to make available for sale fresh, campus-grown and -produced food and beverages.

We envision learning opportunities for students in the areas of food and beverage production, retail supply chain, merchandising, marketing, sales, experiential design and more. Please join us for a workshop designed to start identifying academic teaching and research opportunities and the space design needed to support them.

Snacks will be provided.

General News

Progress Underway at Two New Centers for Learning

Exciting progress is underway at both the Charles and Claire Jacobson Animal Health Center and the Plant Sciences Complex. The framework for the Animal Health Center is officially up. This multi-use complex will feature flexible spaces for teaching, research, and clinical training, including labs and a surgery suite. A covered outdoor space for animal examinations and a mobile ambulatory unit will provide exposure to livestock practices, inspiring students to pursue careers in animal care.

The concrete foundation recently was poured at the Plant Sciences Complex, with the steel structure coming soon. The 6-acre Plant Sciences Complex that will feature a new teaching and laboratory building, state-of-the-art research and production greenhouses, an ancillary produce packing and cooling facility and a farm store for food retail operations. Phase one is the George Wurzel Plant Sciences Building. This will be the teaching and research hub of the complex, bringing together multiple complementary disciplines under one roof to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges.

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