Contact: Jay Thompson

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These achievers have won or placed in national competitions and extracurricular endeavors in the 10th annual showcase of promising students; those from the Golden State also will meet with their district representatives

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Twenty-seven Cal Poly students will be recognized for awards, accolades and other accomplishments by state lawmakers on the floors of the Assembly and Senate in Sacramento on Monday, Feb. 3.

“Our students are already making a difference, showcasing their hands-on learning and skills developed through national competitions and extracurricular endeavors,” said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong, who is accompanying the group on this 10th-annual visit to meet and be honored by California representatives. “Learn by Doing assures that when these fine students graduate, they and their Mustang counterparts will hit the ground running as they embark on their careers.”

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 that 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 will meet with East Bay alumni and Cal Poly supporters in Alamo, California, Sunday, Feb. 2, before continuing to Sacramento.

The 23 students who are California residents will meet with their local representatives on Monday morning. Ceremonies will be held in each legislative house that afternoon.

The Golden State student contingent includes five Central Coast residents: Eva Moylan of Los Osos; Nicholas Deskins of Templeton; Marc Cabeliza of Santa Maria; and a pair from San Luis Obispo, Maileen Mamalardo and Matthew Shaffer. Four other students are from outside California.

The 16 women and 11 men represent all of Cal Poly’s colleges: three from Bailey College of Science and Mathematics; one from the College of Architecture and Environmental Design; six from the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; nine from the College of Engineering; five from the College of Liberal Arts; and a trio from the Orfalea College of Business.

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

Representatives from each Cal Poly college include:

Ryan Donnelly | Bailey College of Science and Mathematics

Donnelly is a third-year chemistry major and an assistant working primarily with organic and polymer synthesis in chemistry Professor Phil Costanzo’s lab. In partnership with an East Coast research and development firm, the team earned a national award from the adhesive and sealant industry last April. Their product, a debondable adhesive platform created with Geisys Ventures, earned the second runner-up 2024 Innovation Award, one of the top three innovation projects honored, presented by the Adhesives and Sealants Council in Louisville, Kentucky. D-Glue — now a patented, commercial product — was designed with research and development involvement by Donnelly and other lab members over the past few years. The adhesive has applications for electronics, apparel, automotive and solar industries, making it more cost-effective to repair, reuse and recycle manufactured products because D-Glue can break down more easily than many mainstream glue products. The Redwood City resident plans to pursue a doctorate in organic chemistry and work in the biopharmaceutical industry. “It means a lot to represent our university in Sacramento,” he said. “I want to stress the importance of funding public education (to lawmakers). As a student who attended public school throughout my primary education and who now attends a public university, it is very important to me that the programs that made me successful continue to be supported for future generations of students.”

Marlene Delgado | College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

Delgado, a senior studying agricultural and environmental plant sciences, was one half of Cal Poly’s Floral Design Team that took first at the American Institute of Floral Designer’s Symposium held in Orlando, Florida, last July. She and teammate art major April Marshall competed against teams from Texas A&M, University of Missouri, Canada’s Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, Mississippi State and New Mexico University. Delgado, a member of the National Horticultural Honor Society, placed second overall at the competition, while Marshall was fourth. AIFD offers training and educational programs and workshops in support of floral professionals and design excellence. Cal Poly classes and labs have given Delgado skills that are “very appealing to employers” and through them she has “been able to find my passion, to pursue a minor in land restoration and rehabilitation ecology.” Delgado is also pursuing certification as a California Native Plant botanist and AIFD floral designer. “The opportunities in terms of academics, exposure to professional environments and Learning by Doing have been invaluable, and I look forward to giving back to my community after I graduate this spring,” she said. The Alameda resident is honored to represent her college in Sacramento, and travels hopeful. “In light of recent natural disasters related to climate change and poor land management practices, I would like to see renewed focus on research and implementation of environmental management measures to combat the effects, and to get us prepared for future, foreseeable impact,” she said. “I am hoping to see a commitment to environmentally responsible forestry and planting measures in urban areas as well as the open spaces in California.”

Misael Gonzalez | College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Gonzalez, a senior studying construction management and minoring in architectural engineering, was part of a 10-member Cal Poly team that received the top prize of $10,000 and a trophy in the 2024 Mechanical Contractors Association of America Student Chapter Competition. The five-month challenge involved submitting a detailed and highly technical proposal as the prime mechanical contractor for the Kansas City Zoo Aquarium, with over 1,700 animals on 200 acres. The scope of the bid included piping, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, controls and additional work. Cal Poly advanced to the “final four” teams that presented in person to judges and an audience of contractors at the annual MCAA Convention in Florida last March. “After long nights preparing our initial proposal and a presentation in Orlando, we were thrilled to bring home first place for the first time since 2007,” he said. The national trade association represents the most innovative and forward-thinking mechanical construction, plumbing and service firms. The Rohnert Park resident, who was attracted to Cal Poly by his college’s construction management program, praised the hands-on environment. “My goal is to work as a project engineer for a commercial construction contractor,” he said. Last year, Gonzales served as president of the CM CASA, a club that offers first-year Latinx students in the major mentorship and guidance as they navigate the college experience. He is honored to represent other students in Sacramento. “A message I would like to express to lawmakers in my home district is the importance of promoting educational and career options in high school,” Gonzalez said. “It is important for young adults to find avenues for education that fit their best interest, whether that be through college or in a trade.”

Tobechukwu Ohajunwa | College of Engineering

Ohajunwa is the 2024-25 president of the campus chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers that was honored at NSBE’s 50th Annual Convention last March. The four-day event promoting Black community empowerment and diversity, equity and inclusion through science, technology, engineering and math, drew over 18,000 attendees to Atlanta and set an organizational record. “Members had the opportunity to attend a diverse career fair, engaging workshops and connect with Alumni and other chapters,” the chapter said in an Instagram post. “Most memorable, however, was winning National Small Chapter of the Year! Thank you to our hardworking board and active membership who helped us earn this award for the third time in our history!” Cal Poly’s chapter formed in 1978. Ohajunwa grew up in Lagos, Nigeria, and graduated from San Domenico High School in San Anselmo in 2021. The Benicia resident learned of Cal Poly through a high school counselor. “I wanted to be a software engineering major instead of computer science and not a lot of schools offered software engineering,” he said. “Cal Poly was one of the few schools that offered this program. I was also drawn to the Learn by Doing motto. I felt I would be getting a lot of hands-on experience.” His goal is to pursue a graduate degree and a career in cybersecurity. Ohajunwa feels pride in being able to “represent the place that has taught me so much in the little time that I have been here. It signifies trust in my ability to serve as a voice for my peers, share meaningful perspectives on the challenges and opportunities within higher education, and advocate for issues that matter to students and the broader university community,” he said.

Amelia Wu | College of Liberal Arts

Wu, a senior studying journalism and this year’s Mustang News top editor, has been part of the staff of the student-run Mustang Media Group for over three years. MMG won an Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award for best student media business in the nation at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference last March. The Pacemaker Award, unofficially known as the Pulitzer Prize of student journalism, is one of the oldest honors for collegiate journalism. The Menlo Park resident had heard of Cal Poly as a child, but it wasn’t until her cousin enrolled that she got interested. Despite its reputation for science and technology, “what sealed the deal was discovering the student media Instagram page,” Wu said. “I’d check it, fascinated by the work they were doing.” Learning is more than lectures and textbooks. “I’ve found myself in an experimental sandbox that connects my education to the career I’m building,” said Wu, who has completed internships at CalMatters, Dallas Morning News and The Daily Dot. She didn’t envision herself as being an advocate but plans to do just that in Sacramento. “Local journalism isn’t just about covering community events,” she said. “It’s also about amplifying community voices, holding decision-makers accountable and documenting the stories that shape our neighborhoods. Supporting local and student journalism means investing in people who are dedicated to accuracy, integrity and making a difference. It’s about ensuring that diverse voices and untold stories are heard, and it’s about building the next generation of reporters who will carry these values forward. By funding media literacy initiatives, supporting transparency laws and recognizing the importance of a free press, lawmakers can help preserve the trust and connection that local journalism brings to communities.”

Ashleigh Spragins | Orfalea College of Business

Spragins, a business administration senior with a quantitative analysis concentration, is the 2024-25 president of Associated Students Inc., a student-led, nonprofit organization representing over 22,000 Cal Poly students and overseeing a $20 million budget. She defeated four candidates with 54% of the 4,126 votes cast last April. “I will serve as president of the student body and corporation,” she said in a LinkedIn post. “ASI Cal Poly operates as an auxiliary of Cal Poly university, which owns and operates various facilities and maintains over 600 employees.” The Danville resident’s goals as president include increasing the nonprofit’s transparency, aligning student fees with the ASI mission she described as "connecting students to their ultimate college experience," and enhancing students’ “sense of belonging” on campus. She is no stranger to leadership roles having served a year as a college representative on the 24-member ASI Board of Directors, which includes students from Cal Poly’s six colleges. In addition, since January 2024, Spragins has been Delta Gamma Sorority’s vice president of finance managing an annual budget of $400,000 and financial planning for over 250 members. She also represents students on the board of Cal Poly Partners, an auxiliary nonprofit that for over eight decades has been integral to Cal Poly by providing such services as campus dining, the bookstore, cutting-edge technology to academic supplies, and faculty and staff housing. Serving on the board “allows me to bring student perspectives to the forefront, ensuring their voices are heard in critical decisions,” Spragins said. In her off-hours, she remains passionate about piano, French horn, coding and painting.