An inside look at living, studying and working at Cal Poly.

Inside Cal Poly

Throughout the summer A&amp;F staff from each unit have been hard at work completing projects, upgrading classrooms, planning events and preparing the campus for the coming year. Whether that work was making room for student success or saving the campus nearly $8 million, it was anything but a quiet couple of months.&nbsp;



Here are 10 quick updates from our 10 units.



Facilities Management and Development



This summer the FMD teams have made significant progress on a number of capital projects and substantial headway on the space optimization initiative.



Building 15 &amp; Student Success Center



Building 15 has been converted into a vibrant center for student affinity groups and construction has begun on the Student Success Center in the adjacent space. The 35,000 square-foot center will include student support amenities like career services, scholar programs, student diversity and belonging centers, as well as multipurpose classroom and event spaces.



Student Housing Over the summer, crews completed the foundation work—including footers and columns—and connected major infrastructure such as water, sewer and storm systems. These accomplishments pave the way for the first modular units to be stacked starting in mid-October. The first tower is slated for completion in Summer 2026.



Public Safety



A lot has happened within the Public Safety ranks over the summer. On July 25, following a national recruitment Robert Plastino was sworn in as the next chief of the Cal Poly Police Department. He brings more than 27 years of experience with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office where he oversaw more than 250 staff in the department’s north county and south county operations.



Directly following Plastino’s swearing he then swore in officers Lance Wilson, Amanda Bird, Miguel Tamayo, Matt Davis and Michael Maguire as well as K-9 Dex.



K-9 Dex followed the retirement of K-9 Zeus after 7-1/2 years of serving the Cal Poly community.&nbsp;



On top of that TAPS is launching a second day-time Mustang Shuttle bus this fall to help better service the student, faculty and staff moving around campus. &nbsp;



Performing Arts Center



Looking back on the 2024-25 season, the Performing Arts Center proudly welcomed nearly 10,000 students to free school matinee performances and supported more than 300 events, drawing a total audience of over 100,000 patrons.



Now the Performing Arts Center team is gearing up to support an exciting 2025–26 season that truly offers something for everyone. The lineup includes four Broadway touring productions, international dance companies, orchestras, theater, comedy, distinguished speakers and family-friendly events.



Cal Poly Arts will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a stellar season featuring more than 35 performances, including major names like Morgan Freeman, Patti LuPone, and The Book of Mormon. Tickets are on sale now at <a href="https://pacslo.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pacslo.org</a>.



Strategic Business Services



This past June Strategic Business Services (SBS) closed out the year with the announcement from the Chancellor&#8217;s Office that Cal Poly’ procurement team was the top performing for Medium campus with $7.7 million in cost savings.



To go along with that amazing stat, the SBS team continued working in partnership with Facilities in support of the construction of student housing program.



They wrapped up 18 successful months since implementing CSUBUY on campus and in that time have established Cal Poly as a system leader.



Throughout this summer the Risk Management team has worked closely to help integrate processes and systems with the Cal Poly Solano Campus including implementing a Driver Safety Program.



University Housing



More than 8,900 new and returning students and their supporters begin arriving this week for Mustang Move-in.&nbsp; New students move in Sept. 11-12. Continuing students arrive Sept. 15-16. 



Housing is seeking volunteers and forming Mustang Welcome&nbsp;Teams to help welcome residents, guide them through their move&nbsp;and answer questions.&nbsp;Volunteers get $50 credit on their PolyCard for each&nbsp;shift&nbsp;worked and a welcome team t-shirt.



While preparations are in place to ensure a smooth experience, the campus community should expect significant traffic and parking impacts.&nbsp;<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/parkingoncampus/visitingthecampus/events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">View all event information on the Transportation and Parking Services webpage</a>&nbsp;for the least disruptive routes and&nbsp;parking. &nbsp;



On top of move-in, work continues on the Future Housing Project and the first modulars for Building A are anticipated to arrive in late fall. A viewing area is being prepared to enable the campus community to see the progress of construction. Cameras have also been set up on <a href="https://dash.evercam.io/v2/projects/whiti-pajdl/whiti-blnzw?is_left_sidebar_enabled=true&amp;is_app_bar_enabled=true&amp;is_camera_tabs_enabled=true&amp;is_clean_mode=false&amp;is_xray_active=false&amp;live=true">Truckee Road</a> and <a href="https://dash.evercam.io/v2/projects/whiti-pajdl/whiti-edrlg?is_left_sidebar_enabled=true&amp;is_app_bar_enabled=true&amp;is_camera_tabs_enabled=true&amp;is_clean_mode=false&amp;live=true&amp;is_xray_active=false">Klamath Road</a> to allow for viewing online.



Audit and Consulting Services



Audit and Consulting Services (ACS) continues to collaborate across campus and with the CSU Audit and Advisory Services team. Over the last year ACS has performed work related to the integration of Cal Poly Maritime Academy, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Cal Poly Partners Workday implementation and hired its first student assistant.



ACS has served as a liaison for various CSU led audits including, Faculty Assigned Time and Additional Employment, Construction (Building 19), Executive Travel and Hospitality and Accessible Technology Initiative, as well as many other data analytics and special engagements.



Going forward, ACS looks to continue building on its data analytics and artificial intelligence work to improve project performance and metrics tracking. ACS will also be presenting to management/leadership teams throughout all functional areas to communicate previous, current and future work, and to educate on the services ACS provides.



Financial Services



After nearly 20 years of service to Cal Poly, all in Financial Services, Dee Q. Louie retired this summer. Always prudent and thinking ahead, Louie notified his colleagues of his pending retirement two years ago! He did so to allow plenty of time to cross train each member of his team. Known for his institutional knowledge and deep understanding of accounting policies; his patience, kindness and thoughtfulness, Louie will be sorely missed by his coworkers.



Following that news, the other summer accomplishments pale in comparison.



The Financial Services team closed out the fiscal year for Legal financial reporting was – as always – a success.



Work to integrate the&nbsp;Cal Poly Solano Campus into the Financial Services processes and team meetings continued.



They kicked off annual physical inventory cycle, closed out COVID-19 FEMA claims, resulting in reimbursement of over $1 million and made progress on the 2023 and 2024 winter storm FEMA claims.



Operational Business Support



In support of the successful CSUBUY rollout, the Operational Business Support (OBS) team continued training on the new system. This included multiple CSU-wide trainings with thousands of attendees. &nbsp;&nbsp;



The A&amp;F Server Migration over the past couple of months has been a success. This work completed the migration of the Cross Departmental drive from physical and outdated servers to SharePoint.



Progress has been made in modernizing OBS workflows and forms. By increasing the utilization of AdobeSign and ImageNow, OBS is continuing to streamline workflow to support efficiency, organization and transparency of work processes.



ITS



This summer ITS has been hard at work on a campus-wide network upgrade. The Common Network Initiative (CNI) — is a CSU-funded project to upgrade network equipment in all state-owned buildings across campus. The upgrade will improve the campus community’s everyday experience online with faster speeds, more reliable connections and better support for all the devices. The new equipment will help make those activities smoother and more dependable.



As a result, speed and access to the entire campus wi-fi was improved by&nbsp;upgrading 5,400 wireless access points.&nbsp;



Throughout this process ITS was able to keep the wireless networks up and running 99.9% of the time during the last academic year.



On top of that heavy lift, the team also completed&nbsp;upgrades to 76&nbsp;classrooms, representing over $1.2 million in classroom investment.



Cal Poly Partners



Work continued on the Vista Meadows faculty and staff housing development this summer. The most significant activity has been the asphalt concrete paving and overlay on Grand Avenue. Rough grading is nearly complete, underground wet and dry utility installation is in progress, and the Allen block retaining wall phase is now underway. Final permits for house construction are anticipated in the fall.



Work to reimagine the student dining experience and bookstore operations at the Cal Poly Solano Campus made big strides over the summer. The Commercial Services team has been onsite throughout summer rebranding two dining venues and ensuring facilities were up ready for the return of students. The Marketing and Communications team has been busy updating and creating a new website for the Cal Maritime Corporation.

Cal Poly police officer hugs a colleague during a ceremony while a police K-9 wearing a vest lies on the floor chewing a toy.

Ten Updates from Ten Units, Summer Edition

Following a comprehensive national recruitment Cal Poly welcomed Robert Plastino as the university’s next chief of police with a swearing-in ceremony on July 25.



This hire comes after George Hughes was promoted to associate vice president, Public Safety in the summer of 2024, a role which oversees the police departments at both Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Solano Campus, as well as the university’s Transportation and Parking Services and Department of Emergency Services.



Plastino brings more than 27 years of experience with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s office. In that time, he was in charge of executive management of the department’s north county and south county operations where he oversaw more than 250 sworn and non-sworn staff, as well as criminal investigations.



His experience also includes years of working collaboratively with UC Santa Barbara administration and student populations as well as close community relations with Isla Vista residents.&nbsp;



Plastino holds a Master of Public Administration degree and a Bachelor of Science in business administration, demonstrating his commitment to continued learning and professional development.



“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Cal Poly community and continue to build on the great work that the department has been doing to foster a culture of excellence, accountability and integrity,” Plastino said. “As we head into a new academic year, we will recommit to teamwork, cross campus collaboration and constant innovation so we can continue to grow trust in our community and increase support on campus.”



Valuing teamwork, collaboration and innovation, Plastino plans to continue the department’s work fostering a culture of excellence, accountability and integrity.



Cal Poly Public Safety would like to extend its gratitude to Bryan Cox for his dedication as interim chief over the past eight months, as well as to the search committee and campus stakeholders for their work and input in this important decision.

California State University police chief stands at a podium with one hand raised, taking the oath of office from another uniformed officer beside an American flag.

Cal Poly Welcomes New Police Chief

Bringing a vehicle to campus can be very convenient for a lot of reasons. Depending on your needs, however, there are many free and cost-effective ways to get here without a car, saving you time looking for parking, money paying for a permit and the helping Cal Poly reach its goal of reducing the number of single occupancy vehicle driving to campus.



To help you better plan your commute to campus, here are some parking tips going into the fall quarter.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Use transportation resources on campus. Whether you need information on ZIP Cars or how to buy a daily parking permit, Cal Poly&#8217;s <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/officehours" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) team</a> can help you get to your destination.</li>



<li>Consider hosting or joining a carpool. TAPS offers guaranteed carpool permits for faculty, staff and students. Find a carpool near you by using the <a href="https://irideshare.org/#/networks/5540f5ecd932b71f35efc151?join=9bf5ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal Poly Student Network</a> or the <a href="https://irideshare.org/#/networks/5540f5ecd932b71f35efc149?join=52493c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal Poly Employee Network</a>.</li>



<li><a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/vanpoolschedule" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Consider joining a vanpool</a> if you plan to commute in a group of five or more people.</li>



<li>Stay informed about <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/lot_closures/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">parking lot closures</a>. Cal Poly is continuously working to improve campus facilities and infrastructure, which sometimes necessitates temporary or permanent changes to parking arrangements. For example, the H-4F parking lot between Perimeter and Truckee roads, adjacent to Fisher Science Hall, will be fully closed in mid-September as construction on the Student Success Center begins.</li>



<li>Take advantage of the great biking weather. There are <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/bikeparkingandstorage.php" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">over 7,000 bike rack spaces and 252 secure bike lockers</a> available on campus. With more than half of the student population living within a five-mile radius of campus, biking is an excellent alternative to navigating parking.</li>



<li>Avoid parking hassles altogether by using <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/commutingtocampus/bus_services" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SLO&#8217;s reliable transit service</a>. Local bus service with stops on campus is free. Discounted monthly bus passes for the Regional Transit Authority are also available through TAPS. Get on the bus and rest your mind.</li>
</ul>



For parking updates, inquiries and more, visit the <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TAPS website</a>.

A large parking lot with many parked cars, some empty spaces, trees, and a person walking with an orange backpack.

Parking Tips Going Into Fall

Cal Poly remains committed to growing its student body to meet the increasing demand for <a href="https://youtu.be/rcpU5biJnlY?feature=shared" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ready Day One</a> graduates who will help solve some of the world’s most complex problems.



To achieve this, the <a href="https://cpslo.sharepoint.com/sites/SOComms/Shared%20Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?ga=1&amp;id=%2Fsites%2FSOComms%2FShared%20Documents%2FGeneral%2FCommunication%20Kit%2FHow%20to%20use%20the%20communication%20kit%2Epdf&amp;parent=%2Fsites%2FSOComms%2FShared%20Documents%2FGeneral%2FCommunication%20Kit">Making Space for Student Success</a> initiative is strategically optimizing and relocating campus spaces for better learning, collaboration and growth opportunities. This multi-phased plan will ensure facility use is practical and efficient, enhancing academic excellence and supporting the success of every student.



The most recent phase includes the following departments that relocated this summer into the listed buildings:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Building 15<ul><li>Black Academic Excellence Center (BAEC)</li></ul><ul><li>Latinx/e Center for Academic Success and Achievement (La CASA)</li></ul><ul><li>Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)</li></ul><ul><li>Cal Poly Scholars</li></ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>TRIO Achievers</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>yakʔitʸutʸu residential community (No. 172)
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The Dream Center will co-locate with the Native American and Indigenous Cultural Center (NAICC)</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Kennedy Library (No. 35)<ul><li>Office of Writing and Learning, including the new location for the Tutoring and Learning Center</li></ul><ul><li>Cal Poly International Center</li></ul><ul><li>University Honors Program</li></ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Cal Poly Print and Copy</li>
</ul>
</li>



<li>Science Building (No. 52)<ul><li>University Advising (Mustang Success Center, UA Retention) will expand into Room E25</li></ul><ul><li>The Transfer Center will expand into Room E29</li></ul>
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Graduate Education will expand into the D27 conference room</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>



Have questions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Space Optimization Team at spaceoptimization@calpoly.edu.

Making Space for Student Success Continues

At the start of July, the Administration and Finance (A&amp;F) team will grow as the division welcomes new colleagues from University Housing.



This restructuring is part of a larger university-wide plan to meet the state&#8217;s enrollment growth requirements and to better align services across campus.



With new student, staff and faculty accommodations coming online and an increase in the operating budget to fund new construction and capital projects, moving most Housing departments within A&amp;F will help to streamline processes and make the teams more effective in fulfilling major operational roles for the university.



This change, while significant in its impact on campus efficiencies, is not planned to have a major effect on individual staff member roles. For housing staff, their reporting structures, as well as telecommuting and work locations will remain the same.



The biggest change will be for Juliette Duke. Duke, the executive director of University Housing, will report directly to Allison Baird-James, A&amp;F’s senior vice president.



Duke will oversee the University Housing units joining A&amp;F. Those units include:



– Administrative Services and Strategy: Outreach and Communication, Assignments, Assessment, and Special Events.



– Business and Finance: Procurement and Budget – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Employee Experience: Payroll and Recruitment.



– Facilities Operations: Custodial, Planning and Support Services, and the Depot.



The Residential Student Experience Unit of University Housing will stay within Student Affairs.



Please join us in welcoming and helping accommodate our new A&amp;F colleagues from Housing. Together, we will continue to move Cal Poly forward and work to enhance the student experience.

Sunlit aerial view of modern white buildings in a valley with surrounding hills and a sports field nearby.

A&F Grows with the Addition of Housing

As vice president and chief information officer of Cal Poly ITS, Meggan Levitt is leading the university in a big way.



Whether supporting Kennedy Library&#8217;s reopening or leading the campus cloud transformation, Meggan leverages technology effectively and responsibly to guide strategic investments and foster collaborative innovation.



Before her current position, she held key roles at UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Georgia Tech, Emory University, Westminster College, and University of Texas at Austin.



Meggan recently took a break from her busy schedule to discuss her career journey, current role and the insights she’s gained along the way.



What does a day in your life look like in your current role?&nbsp;



Honestly, there&#8217;s no such thing as &#8220;typical&#8221; in the technology world! That&#8217;s what I love about the Cal Poly VP and CIO role — every day brings me something different.



I start early by catching up on anything that comes in overnight. Technology doesn&#8217;t sleep. The highlight of my morning is our daily operational meetings with the ITS managers. This is quite a witty group with a fantastic sense of humor, so I am always guaranteed a laugh to start my day, no matter what challenges we&#8217;re facing. We&#8217;ve gotten creative with these meetings too, giving each day a theme like &#8220;Threat Thursday,&#8221; where we collectively review cybersecurity activities.



The heart of my work really happens when I step outside my office and connect across campus. I spend a good chunk of time in conversations with department heads, academic leaders and steering committees. These partnerships aren&#8217;t just meetings to get work done — they&#8217;re how we make sure our technology serves the Cal Poly community in meaningful ways. There&#8217;s nothing more satisfying than seeing a solution we&#8217;ve developed make the Cal Poly experience better for our students, staff and faculty.



Between meetings, I carve out time to stay on top of where technology is heading, and at warp speed too. I might be getting product demos from vendors, comparing notes with CIO colleagues at other CSUs, or diving into the latest research. I go to the typical tech sources, but I also have some quirky ones too — check out the online newsletter <a href="http://tedium.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tedium.com</a> that piques my curiosity often on unusual technology topics.



Afternoons typically shift toward the bigger picture — planning for the future, finding resources for innovations we want to pursue, and making sure our talented team has what they need to succeed. I keep an open-door policy with our ITS directors because they&#8217;re on the front lines and their insights are invaluable.



No day is complete without moments I get to spend with our incredible Cal Poly students. Whether I&#8217;m joining campus activities or just chatting with students about their technology experiences, these conversations remind me why we do this work and provide valuable insights that help shape our services. After all, supporting learning motivates me and is the whole reason I&#8217;ve dedicated my career to higher education.



What are some projects your team is working on that you are excited about?&nbsp;



The ITS teams are tackling several exciting projects that will enhance the Cal Poly Learn by Doing experience for years to come.



I&#8217;m particularly proud of our work supporting Kennedy Library&#8217;s reopening after its two-year transformation. Our teams have upgraded the fiber connection and installed modern network infrastructure throughout the building. There&#8217;s something special about knowing thousands of students will soon return to this revitalized space this fall. The library is truly the heart of academic life on campus, and helping to bring it back to life with modern technology has been incredibly rewarding.



We&#8217;re also undertaking a $1.2 million campus network upgrade, replacing over 400 network switches across buildings this summer and fall. Network infrastructure is like plumbing — nobody thinks about it until it doesn&#8217;t work! This project will boost network speeds and reduce congestion for everyone. When students can seamlessly stream video for projects or researchers can transfer massive datasets without delays, that&#8217;s when this behind-the-scenes work truly matters.&nbsp;



Another key project is the renovation of Building 52, where we&#8217;re working with Facilities to convert office space into classrooms. We&#8217;re ensuring these new learning spaces have robust network infrastructure and enhanced audio/visual technology. It&#8217;s exciting to envision Cal Poly students engaged in active learning in these new spaces.&nbsp;



These infrastructure investments will serve our campus community for years to come. The essential work of cables, switches, and server rooms is laying the foundation that allows Cal Poly&#8217;s unique Learn by Doing approach to flourish in our digital world.&nbsp;



Are you from San Luis Obispo? If not, where are you from, and how did you end up in SLO County?&nbsp;



I am not originally from San Luis Obispo, but I got here as soon as I could! It’s a stunning location with warm people to match the climate. I ended up in SLO specifically for my job at Cal Poly less than one year ago. I&#8217;ve been in California for a decade now, and I adore the playful yet hard-working Central Coast lifestyle.&nbsp;



I grew up overseas because I&#8217;m half-British. My father is English and was an executive in international business. My mother was American and from Chicago, Illinois. My childhood was split between Jakarta, Indonesia and about 20 miles west of London on the banks of the River Thames in England. I lived in the villages of Chobham, Woking and Windsor to name a few. Windsor is famous for Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British royal family. I could see the castle and the Royal Standard flag flown when the Queen was in from my bedroom window!&nbsp;



Growing up globally really shaped me in profound ways, and it&#8217;s one of the reasons I love working on college campuses and Cal Poly in particular — they bring so many different, unique people and cultures together. I often hear different languages being spoken on campus and learn about the world through my daily interactions with our community. This moves me deeply and it&#8217;s why I joke that I went to college and never left! I&#8217;ve been in higher education IT my whole career and wouldn&#8217;t have it any other way.&nbsp;



Where is your happy place?&nbsp;



My happy place is any live music venue — from concert halls to dive bars. I love the atmosphere of a show and find them both energizing and soul-fulfilling. I&#8217;ve always enjoyed dancing to disconnect from the workday.&nbsp;



If you could live in any movie universe, which one would it be and why?&nbsp;



This one’s easy for a techie: Star Wars! For epic space travel and the chance to use the Force.&nbsp;



If you could meet your future self, what would you ask her?&nbsp;



Tell me about AI&#8217;s journey overall and at <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/news/tag/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal Poly</a> — did it develop into the beacon for human progress we envisioned? Have we used its abilities to solve tough, complex problems like climate change or curing diseases? Or did it go in a direction we didn&#8217;t expect? How does AI fit into your daily life now? Have we struck that delicate harmony between embracing innovation while preserving what makes us human?



I hope my future self would say Cal Poly got this right as I witness our AI innovation as well as our research on AI&#8217;s ethical implications. Cal Poly is already using AI to revolutionize procurement with tools like <a href="https://dxhub.calpoly.edu/challenges/using-generative-ai-to-generate-scope-of-work/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8220;ScopeBuilder&#8221; for creating more effective RFPs</a>. And students are using <a href="https://www.calpoly.edu/news/cal-poly-students-practice-physics-phones-and-ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI-powered apps in physics labs</a>, while others gain hands-on experience through the <a href="https://www.calstate.edu/csu-system/news/Pages/CSU-AI-Powered-Initiative.aspx" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cal State AI initiative</a>, which provides free access to tools like ChatGPT.&nbsp;&nbsp;



At Cal Poly, I envision technology that empowers both learning and human connection — AI tools that enhance education while keeping community and our hands-on, Learn by Doing approach at the heart of what we do. If you have questions about our IT initiatives, visit us at <a href="https://tech.calpoly.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://tech.calpoly.edu/</a>.&nbsp;

Woman with red hair and glasses smiling for a selfie in front of large CAL POLY letters outdoors.

Meggan Levitt’s Dream for ITS

As a second-year construction management major, Emma Strickland always has a plan. Whether it outlines her academic priorities or the progress of construction projects, Emma can always rely on a solid roadmap.



Since onboarding with Cal Poly’s Facilities Management &amp; Development team, she has worked on many projects, including the new lounge in the Materials Engineering building and the highly anticipated <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/kennedy-library/">Kennedy Library Renovation</a>.



Emma recently took a break from her busy schedule to discuss her standout project moments, goals before graduating and advice for her freshman self. 



Can you tell us about some projects you’ve worked on so far? Any standout moments? I’ve been lucky enough to work on a wide range of projects while working with Facilities on campus. One standout has been seeing the progression of the Kennedy Library — both inside and out. I’ve done site walks, learned new programs like Bluebeam and Procore, and had the opportunity to shadow several project managers. These experiences have helped me build strong communication skills and given me a clearer understanding of what my future career might look like. I’ve also contributed to projects for the College of Engineering, such as the new lounge in the MATE building and a canopy project by the Aerospace Engineering building. Day to day, I support project managers with tasks like fixing plans and creating spreadsheets to track progress, which has helped me gain exposure to the many moving parts of construction management. I have gotten to help and participate in organizing all the future move-ins for the library furniture for the past few months, working closely to coordinate the upcoming move. I have loved working with everyone in my department and have learned and am still learning new things every day.



What other projects or goals do you hope to accomplish before graduating? Before I graduate, I hope to make more connections in the industry and continue developing skills that will support my long-term career. I’m also aiming to take part in a senior project that I can be truly proud of &#8211; not just one that checks the boxes for graduation, but something that will have a lasting impact.



Is there a particular philosophy or mantra that guides your day-to-day? I like to start each day with a plan. It’s not about forcing myself to check off every item, but having a roadmap helps me stay focused and productive. This mindset guides both my academic work and my job; it helps me make the most out of each day without burning out.



Are there any books, movies or music you’ve been into lately? I love watching shows and movies, especially my comfort favorites. I’m a big fan of rom-coms and sitcoms; they help me unwind after a long day. I just finished watching How I Met Your Mother and recently rewatched 10 Things I Hate About You, which is one of my all-time favorite movies. Whether I’m studying or walking to class, I always have music playing. My taste is pretty broad, and I enjoy almost every genre.



What is your idea of a great weekend? For me, a great weekend means spending quality time with friends and family. I love going to the beach, playing volleyball and sharing good food afterward. Watching the sunset is the perfect way to unwind and mentally reset from a busy week; it helps me let go of stress and just enjoy the moment.



Lastly, if you could share any piece of advice with your freshman self, what would it be? I’d tell myself not to stress so much; it really does all work out. The transition from high school to college was tough, and I struggled with expecting myself to perform at the same level without recognizing how much harder the workload and responsibilities would be. That pressure affected my grades early on. But over time, I found a better balance between succeeding academically and enjoying the college experience.

Young woman with long brown hair smiling, wearing a white top, standing outdoors with sunlight behind her.

When in Doubt, Make a Plan: A Conversation with Emma Strickland

Named after Cal Poly alumnus and NFL Hall-of-Fame coach and broadcaster John Madden, the $45 million <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/football_operations/">John Madden Football Center</a> construction is pushing into the third quarter and planning for an opening in Winter 2026.



The 35,000-square-foot facility will become the new home of the Cal Poly football team, accommodating its training and regular-season needs and helping to recruit top-quality student-athletes to campus.



The center will feature a new team locker room, weight room, coach offices with support spaces, team meeting rooms, training and medical support spaces, a student-athlete lounge with nutrition and hydration stations, lobby and entrance spaces with access to the stadium&#8217;s south end and parking.



Designed with a heavy focus on creating a holistic student athlete experience, the center will feature a state-of-the-art medical center with therapy and hydrotherapy pools and a facility that can be used for everything from the treatment of a sprained ankle to addressing certain potential emergencies.



With the recovering student athlete’s mental wellbeing in mind, the north side of the building will open to Spanos Stadium with the help of large sliding doors on the ground floor to allow team members receiving treatment to continue to be part of team practices.



To help build comradery and a team atmosphere, the student athlete lounge will be equipped with large screen TVs and gaming consoles as well as nutrition and hydration stations.



And with a significant nod towards history, and the student athletes who came before, the entire building was designed to incorporate the Mustang Memorial Plaza as the centerpiece to the main entrance.



A remembrance of the victims of the 1960 plane crash which took the lives of 16 players and the team manager, the plaza was a special place for John Madden, as many of his friends were on the flight.



The Mustang statue at the center of the plaza faces the main entrance to the building.



As part of the Cal Poly Master Plan and in support of making room for student success, the facility will be equipped with a 130-seat team room, which will also be used as an academic lecture hall in the off season.



Additionally, the project is part of the <a href="https://ceqanet.opr.ca.gov/2023110679" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">South Campus Infrastructure Renewal</a> project, which includes repairing and replacing a sanitary sewer, storm drainage, gas and electrical service, as well as fiber communication relocation and broadcast streaming to Alex G. Spanos Stadium.



The estimated completion for the John Madden Football Center is January 2026.

Group of construction workers in yellow vests and hard hats standing inside a steel frame structure under construction.

John Madden Football Center Construction Update

With many students and faculty away during the summer, Cal Poly will continue the hard work of pushing Learn by Doing forward with new and enhanced campus amenities, buildings, facilities and some significant capital projects.



Less foot traffic during the summer offers a perfect opportunity to perform impactful work and maintenance, such as student housing and the student success center. These projects, in support of the&nbsp;<a href="https://masterplan.calpoly.edu/docs/cal-poly-campus-master-plan-abridged.pdf">Cal Poly Master Plan</a>, are designed to enhance the quality of university life, support academic achievement and provide resourced facilities.



To help the Cal Poly community navigate campus this summer, we’ve compiled a list of construction projects and <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/lot_closures/">affected roads and parking lots</a>.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/vista-meadows/">Vista Meadows</a> The faculty and staff housing project located on the corner of Slack and Grand is actively under construction. The project will create 33 single-family homes for faculty and staff purchase. Summer construction impacts will include intermittent road impairments on Slack Street, allowing the underground and overhead utility installations and follow-on paving activities.&nbsp;Similar intermittent lane closures will occur at the Slack and Grand intersection, accommodating the utility tie-in locations. The Grand Avenue entrance will be resurfaced in the late summer resulting in lane closures. As the utility work is complete, the project will transition to foundations and framing activities for the new homes.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/football_operations/">John Madden Football Center</a> Construction on the Madden Football Center continues.&nbsp;As a reminder, this project forms a new and expanded football clubhouse/facility. The superstructure is nearing completion, with the project transitioning to mechanical and electrical infrastructure and interior finish activities later this fall. Construction impacts on the campus community will be similar to the current effects, with construction vehicles entering and exiting the site.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/water-reclamation/">Water Reclamation Facility (WRF)</a> The Water Reclamation Project provides sustainable solutions to the campus water infrastructure. The reclamation treatment plant will process the campus&#8217;s sewer water, allowing grey water to be utilized as an irrigation resource. The project is adjacent to the swine unit and will have little impact on everyday campus operations. Intermittent lane and California Boulevard road closures are scheduled for lift station upgrades and utility connections.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/water-infrastructure-improvement/">Water Infrastructure Improvement Project (WIIP)</a> The WIIP expands the campus&#8217;s domestic and fire water infrastructure in alignment with the campus master plan and growth of the Cal Poly campus. In broad terms, the project increases the capacity of water stored in holding tanks at the top of the hill with upgrades to the distribution system to campus buildings. The bulk of the summer work will focus on reconstructing the storage tanks and pump house adjacent to the tanks. Impact to campus includes intermittent noise and construction material delivery traffic.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/housing-program/">Cal Poly Student Housing Project (CPSHP)</a> The student housing project is the largest campus project and will continue in phases for multiple years. This project expands the current housing stock by 3100 to 3800 new residential beds with up to 8 new buildings. The project is located on the north mountain site behind the existing red brick residential halls. The first building of the program is actively under construction and includes site enabling work. The project consists of modular construction units beginning in September, with the first building’s modular units stacked by the end of 2025.&nbsp;Summer construction impacts include replacing the underground infrastructure and connections on Perimeter Road. Impacts also include the ongoing construction traffic to and from the site.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/kennedy-library/">Kennedy Library</a> Kennedy Library, scheduled to reopen Monday, Sept. 15, will be substantially completed by summer. Summer impacts will include move-in and transition to occupancy activities in mid-July.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/plant-sciences/">Plant Science Complex</a>, <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/animal-health-science/">Animal Health Center</a> The Plant Science and Animal Health project combines two buildings, providing additional resources to educate CAFES-related fields. The project is located on Highland Drive near the railroad overpass. Construction traffic entering and leaving the site and intermittent noise are the only project impacts expected during the summer. The planned completion of the projects is winter 2026.



<a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/student-success/">Student Success Center</a> The Student Success Center is a project in the planning stage that will construct new and expanded programs to improve student success and ongoing student enrollment growth. The new building will be located on the existing H-4F parking lot between Perimeter Road and Truckee, adjacent to Fisher Science Hall. Expect intermittent impacts beginning in summer to Perimeter, Village and Truckee roads accommodating utility enabling work for the site.



Parking Updates



The H-4F parking lot between Perimeter and Truckee roads, adjacent to Fisher Science Hall will be partially closed this summer for utility line work. The lot is scheduled to fully close in mid-September as construction on the Student Success Center starts.



The Grand Avenue Parking Structure is receiving an LED retrofit. This update will be an ongoing project throughout the 2025-26 academic year and will help make this major parking facility much more energy efficient.



The H-11 parking lot on Via Carta near Building 10 will come back online when the temporary study structure is removed in preparation for the opening of the Kennedy Library.



For up-to-date information visit Transportation and Parking Services <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/parking/lot_closures/">Parking Lot Closure webpage</a>.



Cal Poly is also engaged with the City of SLO collaborating on <a href="https://www.slocity.org/government/department-directory/public-works/construction-and-traffic-updates">active projects in or around campus</a>, and with Cal Trans, aligning on <a href="https://roads.dot.ca.gov/?roadnumber=1">night closures construction work on Highway 1</a>.



For the latest on campus construction projects, visit the <a href="https://afd.calpoly.edu/facilities/planning-capital-projects/project-news/">Project News web page</a>.

Two people organizing mostly empty white bookshelves in a brightly lit library aisle with one fully stocked shelf.

Category: Work