Contact: Jay Thompson

Jthomp04@calpoly.edu; 805-235-0955

These Learn by Doing ambassadors have won or placed in national competitions and extracurriculars in the 12th annual showcase of the university’s promising students; those from California also will meet with their district representatives before being recognized by lawmakers in the Senate and Assembly chambers

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Twenty-six Cal Poly students who have earned a variety of awards, accolades and other accomplishments will be honored by state lawmakers today on the floors of the Assembly and Senate in Sacramento.

The 17 women and nine men, who range in age from 19 to 22, represent the six Cal Poly colleges as well as Cal Poly Maritime Academy, which officially came under the administration of the university last July.

These ambassadors of Learn by Doing are delivering results on campus and off — from student leaders to researchers whose work is leading to industry innovations, to floral artists and race car builders (on the track and off road). They also include the president of a student group that received the Sweepstakes Award, the top award of the 2026 Rose Parade.

“This annual showcase introduces to the state’s top-elected representatives just some of the accomplishments of our promising young women and men,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, who is again accompanying the group as they meet and are honored by state Senate and Assembly representatives.

“Our students take the lessons from their classrooms, labs and studies and put that Learn by Doing ethos into practice away from white boards and test booklets. And when these high achievers graduate, they and their Cal Poly counterparts, across multiple colleges and campuses, will bring that same youthful enterprise and leadership into their careers and help shape the communities where they’ll reside.”

The group will be introduced to the upper house by Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, and to the lower house by Assemblymember Dawn Addis, D-Morro Bay, who represents the coastal 30th Assembly District (includes large portions of San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties and the southeastern area of Santa Cruz County). Laird represents the 17th Senate District, which encompasses Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey counties, as well as the majority of San Luis Obispo County.

Students met with alumni and Cal Poly supporters at the Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Vallejo, California, on Sunday, Feb. 1, before continuing to Sacramento.

Nineteen students who are California residents will meet with their local representatives this morning. Ceremonies will be held in each chamber: The Assembly at 1 p.m. and the Senate at 2 p.m.

The Golden State contingent includes residents from several Bay Area cities, the Sacramento area, the Central Valley, Southern California and San Diego, including the ASI student body president, Marc Cabeliza, of Santa Maria. Seven other students are from outside California: two from Utah and a pair from Portland, Oregon; and one each from Colorado, Nevada and Washington.

They represent disciplines across both campuses.

Six students are from the College of Liberal Arts; five members of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design and five are from the College of Engineering; three study majors in the Bailey College of Science and Mathematics; a trio are part of the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Services; and one is from the Orfalea College of Business. In addition there are three students from Cal Poly Maritime Academy, located at the university’s Solano campus in the Bay Area.

Each has distinguished herself or himself, as an individual or on a team that has received a national industry award or in other high-profile events.

They will also meet with Assembly Member Gail Pellerin, a Cal Poly alumna (Journalism, ’84). Pellerin is a two-term representative of the 28th Assembly District, made up of portions of Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.

In addition, President Armstong will receive a joint resolution from Sen. Laird and Assemblywoman Addis celebrating the 125th anniversary of Cal Poly during one of the student recognition ceremonies. The California Polytechnic School, essentially a technical high school, was established on March 8, 1901, after Gov. Henry Gage signed legislation that a group of San Luis Obispo County citizens, led by journalist Myron Angel, had been lobbying for since 1894. Classes began in the fall of 1903 and first graduation was held three years later. Over the years, the school evolved from also offering junior college classes to a college and ultimately a nationally ranked polytechnic university.

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Honored students include:

Visruth Srimath Kandali

Bailey College of Science and Mathematics

The third-year statistics major and data science student in interested in range of statistical analyses including “computational statistics/statistical learning, Bayesian statistics, Monte Carlo methods and stochastics. I’m also broadly interested in functional programming and high-performance computing.” Last August he traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, where he presented his research on the Central Limit Theorem, the most fundamental theory in modern statistics at the Joint Statistical Meetings — the largest conference of statisticians and data scientists in North America —  an event that attracted over 5,000 attendees from 52 countries. Srimath Kand received an honorable mention for the Speed Session Award given by the Statistical Education Section at the JSM student competition. His talk was titled “Toward a robust and simple guideline for checking the Central Limit Theorem.” In each speed session 20 participants must describe their research clearly and succinctly, first in a 4-minute talk and later that day in a follow-up poster presentation. A panel of judges selects the winner and awards honorable mentions on the quality of the two performances. “I mostly do computational research such as statistical/machine learning and Monte Carlo methods,” the San Jose resident said. “I’ve collaborated with professors at Cal Poly and Stanford.” The 20-year-old, who also enjoys photography, said he is honored to represent Cal Poly at the state Capitol.

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Aubrey Goings

College of Architecture and Environmental Design

As president of Cal Poly Rose Float, the fourth-year architecture major was in line to take a seat in the stands about 6:10 a.m to watch the 2026 Rose Parade on a very rainy New Year’s Day in Pasadena. “We got a call from our operators, and they said ‘We got Sweepstakes!’ the top prize in the parade. We said, ‘Call back.’ We couldn’t believe it. They must be joking with us because we didn’t think this was possible.” It was though, and “Jungle Jumpstart” marked only the seventh time in the silver cup’s 102-year history that a self-built float, constructed by non-professionals, has ever won the Sweepstakes Award for the most beautiful float among the 43 entries in 2026. It was a first for Cal Poly universities, however. Cal Poly and the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, have teamed up to produce floats for the Pasadena classic every year since 1949. “We’re really just ecstatic that we had this opportunity, especially because of this year’s theme — ‘The Magic of Teamwork,’ ” the 22-year-old said. “This really celebrates our teamwork, our cross-campuses, our students and how we get together and basically make everything from scratch, learning from each other.” Rose Float is among the highest profile of Cal Poly student projects. Goings chose to attend Cal Poly “because of its esteemed architecture program,” the San Jose senior added. “Cal Poly architecture graduates are well known and respected, so choosing Cal Poly was an easy choice. I did not know much about Cal Poly’s organizations and clubs when I applied, but I am so grateful for the opportunities they have given me.”

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Marc Cabeliza

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Services

The Santa Maria resident has two roles this year: 1) student body president and bioresource and agricultural engineering student, and 2) starting a career in state water resources at the intersection of policy and agricultural water engineering. “As president and chief executive officer of Cal Poly Associated Students Inc., I oversee an $18 million annual budget and represent 22,000-plus students at the local, state and federal levels,” the 22-year-old said. “I lead cross-functional teams and strategic initiatives, from campuswide accessibility projects to enhanced student fee programs, and forge partnerships with alumni, community organizations and legislators to secure a successful education for all.” State leadership is nothing new. Cabeliza made history as the first Pioneer Valley High School student to be selected as president of the California FFA Association in May 2021 and took a gap year before starting at Cal Poly to lead the state officer team. He was attracted to the campus just a half-hour drive from home as “I was drawn to the Learn by Doing mission,” he said. “I wanted to come into a school and actively participate in my major from Day One, and Cal Poly was able to provide that for me.” Cabeliza is honored to represent the university and his fellow student representatives at the state level. “Without an amazing group of student leaders, we would not be able to make the difference we’ve made this year,” he said, “and I’m thankful that we will be recognized for that.”

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Lucia Giacalone

College of Engineering

“Cal Poly is helping me achieve my educational goals by supporting the mechanical engineering machine shops and Instructionally Related Activities,” the Thousand Oaks said of IRAs, the “out-of-class experiences” that enrich and enhance student learning opportunities. “So much of what I have learned at Cal Poly, both technically and personally, has been through my experience in the shops and Cal Poly Racing.” Giacalone, who has worked in the campus machine shops both since 2023, serves as team lead for Cal Poly Racing’s Baja SAE team that designs, builds and races a single-seat Baja car through rough terrain and endurance trials at competitions sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers. Last May the team’s newest car earned second in design, third in acceleration and maneuverability, and sixth overall at Baja SAE Arizona in Marana, near Tucson. A month later, the team competed in Mechanicsville, Maryland. “While an electrical issue stopped us an hour into the endurance event, we were still able to show our pace with our fastest lap being only 0.004 seconds off the best in the entire race,” the mechanical engineering senior said. Still, the team took first in maneuverability, second in acceleration and overall dynamics, fifth in the hill climb and eighth in design. “We also won the Haas Manufacturing Award,” the 22-year-old said of the prize honoring exceptional capabilities in machining, fabrication and inspection. She believes her racing experience will pay off. “As I apply for jobs, companies specifically request that applicants present on non-school projects — club work is integral to success in postgrad life,” Giacalon said. “Cal Poly Racing has allowed me and many other students to have ownership over fast-paced and technically advanced projects from start to finish, a unique and incredibly valuable experience.”

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Gwen Ramsey

College of Liberal Arts

The fourth-year geography and anthropology major is passionate about environmental sustainability, geospatial science and human-environment interactions. In the classroom she has been honored for academic achievement nine times. “I chose Cal Poly because of its career-focused academics and strong emphasis on hands-on learning,” said the resident of Salida, Colorado. “I value the opportunity to gain practical experience alongside coursework, and Cal Poly’s approach stood out to me. I was also drawn to the location in San Luis Obispo, particularly the access to outdoor activities and the balanced lifestyle it offers.” Outside the classroom, the 21-year-old is a member of the Cal Poly Cycling Team. “Over the past two years, I have competed in the USA Cycling Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships,” she said. “In 2024, the championships were held in Bentonville, Arkansas, where I was first in downhill, dual slalom and the overall omnium (best of) standings, which combine results from all four events (cross country, short track cross country, downhill and dual slalom). Last October, she was even more successful at the 2025 national championships in Grand Junction, Colorado. “I placed first again in downhill and second in the overall omnium,” Ramsey said. “As a team, Cal Poly Cycling also placed second in the team relay in both 2024 and 2025.” She has helped the team to collectively win 24 medals at the last two mountain bike national championships. Ramsey plans to graduate in June.

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Maya Lojo

Orfalea College of Business

The fourth-year industrial technology and packaging major has a keen interest in consumer packaged goods, and how CPGs can be improved through sustainable, innovative solutions that benefit consumers and the planet. “I aspire to become a packaging engineer specializing in CPGs because they have a strong and direct impact on consumers’ everyday lives, influencing both functionality and brand experience,” the 22-year-old said. “My goal is to design innovative, sustainable packaging solutions that enhance usability, protect product integrity and create meaningful connections between brands and their customers.” As president of the Cal Poly Packaging Club, she helps underclassmen navigate their academic journey and connect with industry opportunities. “Through hands-on labs and team-based projects, I’ve been able to apply concepts in real-world scenarios that closely mirror professional environments,” said the El Dorado Hills resident. “This practical approach, combined with collaboration, has strengthened both my technical skills and my ability to work effectively in a team — key elements for success in my future career.” In 2025, she was part of an interdisciplinary team that participated in the Paperboard Packaging Alliance 2025 Student Design Challenge, an annual competition for university students create innovative, recyclable paper-based packaging solutions to meet real-world customer needs. The six-member Cal Poly team placed third for their entry, Teef Story. “My role was as the structural designer, using ArtiosCAD to create the packaging’s physical structure and ensure it was both functional and visually aligned with our concept,” Lojo said. “Our design was inspired by childhood storybooks, featuring interactive flaps to engage dog owners in learning about their pet’s oral care through a DNA kit.” She looks forward to representing her college in Sacramento. “Packaging plays a critical role in consumer experience and sustainability, yet it often doesn’t get the spotlight it deserves,” she said.

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Vincent Huff

Cal Poly Maritime Academy, Solano campus

Vincent Huff, a sophomore from Sandy, Utah, located near Salt Lake City, is studying international business and logistics with a concentration in supply chain management in pursuit of a career as a project manager for a large shipping firm. He chose the maritime academy for its “hands-on learning, small class sizes and strong career opportunities after graduation, he said. Last October, Huff and another student attended the 98th International Propeller Club Convention in Lyon, France, and accepted the Student Port of the Year award from the organization that promotes and advocates for the maritime industry. Its student chapters, or ports, help connect students with the global maritime industry, providing networking opportunities, mentoring and education on maritime trade. “This award was given in recognition of having the most active student membership globally and for demonstrating our club’s strong commitment to the maritime industry,” said the 19-year-old, who serves as as chapter vice president in charge of membership. “While I played a key role, this award reflects the collective efforts of all Propeller Club officers and members.” He looks forward to representing the club and the Cal Poly Solano campus in Sacramento: “We are a small but mighty school in the Bay Area, and being recognized at the statewide level is something I will always remember.

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Top photo: 

Sen. John Laird, far right, talks to students from Cal Poly and Cal Poly Maritime Academy on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Sacramento. The students were recognized in both the Senate and Assembly chambers.

Cal Poly photo by Caroline Rossi