Cal Poly College of Liberal Arts

Faculty from the College of Liberal Arts are using funding from the Office of University Diversity and Inclusion’s inaugural Cal Poly Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) High Impact Mini-Grant Program, which supports the school’s goal of becoming an HSI by 2026. English Associate Professor Jason (Jay) Peters and Valanci Villa (M.A., English, ’23) are assessing Cal Poly’s First-Year Composition Program for anti-racist pedagogical approaches and identifying potential inclusivity gaps. Their evidence-based research will inform course design and teaching material to revise the program curriculum. Lily Rivas (Communication Studies, ’24), advised by communication studies Associate Professor Leslie Nelson, created a podcast as part of her senior project. “Hasta La Raíz” explores intersectional identities and issues within the Latinx/e community. Mariachi Voces Tapatías, a local professional mariachi ensemble, will present on the history and style of the musical genre of western Mexico during a multi-day residency. The residency will include technical master classes and culminate with a public performance. During the 2023-24 academic year, Susana A. Lopéz, Psychology Assistant Professor, and Jay Bettergarcia, Psychology Associate Professor, co-created Cal Poly’s first Latinx/e psychology course with a group of Latinx/e psychology students. The course provides the opportunity for the university’s Latinx/e students to engage in “servingness” by co-creating decolonial and liberation approaches to psychology education. Lastly, the Queer and Trans Latinx/e Joy Project provides mixed-method research experiences for students who are Latinx/e, bilingual and/or LGBTQ+. The project will help inform the development of programs and services for students with these intersectional identities. Read more: https://buff.ly/C4E6wVU ??: Jason (Jay) Peters and Valanci Villa

Nick Belardes, a lecturer for the Ethnic Studies Department, is also an eco-horror author. His debut novel, “The Deading” explores the fictional town of Baywood and draws inspiration from the real San Luis Obispo County community of Los Osos. Baywood is cut off from the outside world when a mysterious alien contagion emerges from the sea and begins to take over the minds and bodies of the town’s residents. Belardes sat down with Cal Poly Magazine to discuss his experience writing “The Deading,” the inspiration behind it and what it takes to fictionalize home. Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/4kiYdn8

Alumnus Pedro Armendáriz took #LearnByDoing to cinematic heights. ?? The Mexican film star first came to Cal Poly in 1928 as a high school sophomore. At the time, it was called California Polytechnic School, and catered to four grades of high schoolers and two classes of junior college students. During his stint as a Mustang, Armendáriz was president of the Polytechnic Press Club, editor-in-chief of the Polygram newspaper, ringmaster of the third annual student circus and starred in several on-campus productions. He moved to Mexico City soon after graduation, making his film debut in the 1935 drama, “Rosario.” He would go on to appear in 42 Mexican films and more than 80 movies in Hollywood, France, England, Italy and Germany. Throughout his illustrious career, he was nominated for the Ariel Award (Mexico’s Academy Award) six times. Armendáriz was an icon of Mexican cinema, and although he passed away in 1963, he remains beloved by generations of film buffs. Read more: https://buff.ly/4jVNgYo

Leanne Pittsford (Political Science, ’04) is the CEO and founder of Lesbians Who Tech & Allies, a global community of more than 110,000 LGBTQ+ women, trans and nonbinary individuals and their allies in the technological industry. The organization grants coding scholarships, hosts mentoring programs and offers leadership training for its members. Pittsford, who is also an entrepreneur, technology strategist, UX designer and tech investor, was recognized by the CLA at Cal Poly’s 2023 Honored Alumni Awards, the highest honors that can be bestowed upon an alumni. During Pittsford’s time at Cal Poly, she learned resilience in the face of significant personal struggles, eventually finding a path that combined her personal and professional passions into positive change. Read more: https://buff.ly/3Qw4qOI Do you have an update to share? Submit your information for a chance to be featured on CLA’s social media: https://buff.ly/3QtTnpj

New Career-Readiness Class for CLA Students! Are you not sure how to get started in your career journey? Join our new Special Topics class, COMS 270. This 2-unit course is designed specifically for 2nd and 3rd-year liberal arts students looking to boost career readiness. This interactive course will help you: - Identify career options where CLA majors shine - Explore options for pursuing graduate studies - Hear from CLA Alumni about their professional journey - Learn strategies to expand your professional network - Develop strong resumes and cover letters that highlight the unique value of your liberal arts degree - Develop workplace skills like negotiation and conflict resolution This NEW class is open to all CLA students and will count as a free elective. Enroll during spring registration!

Have you read CLA's 2024 Impact Magazine? If so, take our survey at the following link: https://bit.ly/3ENzQNS We want to hear from ewe! ??

Sherry Shahan (Social Science, ’78) has been nominated for The Pushcart Prize in Poetry (2024) and The Pushcart Prize in Short Fiction, Best American Short Stories and Best of the Net (2025). Her art has appeared in 134 national and international literary journals since 2021. Her career as a journalist and photographer has taken her on travels across the world. Shahan has been inside a dogsled during the 1,049-mile Iditarod Race in Alaska, hiked in a leech-infested rainforest in Australia and snorkeled with penguins in the Galapagos. She transforms these personal experiences into novels for young readers, and has now authored more than 30 children’s books. Do you have an update to share? Submit your information for a chance to be featured on CLA's social media: cla.calpoly.edu/update

?? Cal Poly’s Spanish Language Debate Team is the only Spanish language debate program at any public university in the United States. Since their inception in 2017, they have been at the forefront of intercollegiate debate. When Marion W. Hart, John Patrick and Chris Skiles started the program, they had three goals in mind: creating a California league for Spanish-speaking students to compete in regional and state competitions, fostering a consortium for universities in border states to collaborate on solutions to shared challenges and building connections with institutions across Latin America to form an international debate circuit. The team’s partnership with Centro de Ense?anza Técnica y Superior (CETYS), a private polytechnic university in Mexicali, has allowed them to organize hands-on debate experiences in both Mexico and California. This opportunity has given an interdisciplinary group of bilingual students the chance to gain a broader understanding of global and societal issues. Read more (in English): https://buff.ly/4jETw6z Read more (en Espa?ol): https://buff.ly/4jCiQu5

Applications for the Panetta Congressional Internship Program are now open! Each year, the Panetta Institute for Public Policy invites CSU presidents to nominate an outstanding undergraduate (junior or senior) student to participate in their fall semester internship program in Washington, D.C. Nominees spend 11 weeks working for an assigned member of the U.S. House of Representatives, drafting correspondence, meeting constituents and attending briefings, among other responsibilities. Qualified students from all majors are invited to apply before Friday, Feb. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Cal Poly’s 2024 Panetta Intern, Patrick Henry, will host a virtual “Ask Me Anything” informational session on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 11:45 a.m. For details on qualifications and how to apply, or to register for the AMA session: https://buff.ly/2Tqfels ??: Patrick Henry, Cal Poly’s 2024 Panetta Intern

Marty Kaliski has been an integral member of the Cal Poly community since 1986 when he served as Electrical Engineering Department Chair. Fifty years after studying French in high school, Kaliski sparked a passion for mastering new languages and has since taken twenty-six courses within the World Languages and Cultures Department. His enthusiasm and dedication exemplify #LearnByDoing and show that the journey of education never truly ends. Read more: https://buff.ly/3WxSnDU