Contact: Cynthia Lambert 
805-234-4402;  cmlamber@calpoly.edu

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly will celebrate a record-setting 6,821 students who are eligible to graduate at the university’s commencement ceremonies Saturday and Sunday, June 14 and 15, at Spanos Stadium.

The six college ceremonies will be held at 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. each weekend day. More than 53,000 guests are expected across all the ceremonies. Each ceremony will last roughly 90 minutes and be streamed live online.

The Class of 2025 will join more than 230,000 Cal Poly Proud alumni making an impact in their communities, in California and across the nation and the world.

"Cal Poly's mission has always been to ensure students are Ready Day One, and that day has arrived," said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong. "This year's graduates have met challenges, pushed boundaries and achieved incredible milestones. We are excited to see all they accomplish.”

Honorary Degrees

The university will award honorary degrees to two individuals: bestselling author and technology pioneer John Couch and Cal Poly alumnus, NASA astronaut and decorated test pilot Victor Jerome Glover II.

Victor Jerome Glover II

Glover will receive an honorary Doctor of Science during the College of Engineering ceremony at 4:30 p.m. June 15.

Victor Jerome Glover II, a California native and Cal Poly graduate, was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2013 while serving as a legislative fellow in the U.S. Senate. A veteran naval aviator and test pilot, Glover has flown more than 3,500 hours in over 40 aircraft, completed 400 carrier landings and served in both combat and peacetime deployments. He earned multiple advanced degrees in engineering and military operations and was designated a test pilot in 2007. Captain Glover piloted the historic SpaceX Crew-1 mission aboard Resilience in 2020. He made history as the first Black astronaut to live on the International Space Station as part of a long-duration mission, spending 168 days aboard the station. Glover completed four spacewalks and supported critical scientific and outreach activities. He later served in several NASA leadership roles, including crew representative for the human landing systems program. In 2023, Glover was named pilot of NASA’s planned Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight around the moon in over 50 years. His awards include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal and Cal Poly’s Service to the Community Award.

John Couch

Couch will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters on June 14, during the Orfalea College of Business College ceremony at 8:30 a.m.

John Couch holds a bachelor's degree in computer science and a master’s degree in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was named a distinguished alumnus in 2000. He has received honorary degrees from Philadelphia University and Full Sail University. A former instructor at the University of California, Berkeley, and San José State University, he co-authored "Compiler Construction: Theory and Practice," "Rewiring Education" and "My Life at Apple and the Steve I Knew." Couch began his career at Hewlett-Packard in 1972 before joining Apple in 1978 as its 54th employee. He served as Apple’s first VP of software and later led the Lisa division, developing Apple’s first GUI computer. In 1985, he shifted to education, transforming Santa Fe Christian Schools through innovative technology use. Before returning to Apple in 2002, Couch was CEO of genomics company DoubleTwist and an executive in residence at Mayfield Fund. At Steve Jobs' request, he rejoined Apple as its first vice president of education, growing its education business to $10 billion and launching iTunes U.

Parking

Although parking permits are not required for commencement weekend, campus parking will be highly impacted because of the expected large crowds. For information on alternative transportation, parking lots and shuttles, visit https://commencement.calpoly.edu/spring#parking.

Members of the media can park in the C-2 lot off Campus Way. Media badges can be picked up at the southeast entrance in the soccer locker room. For more on parking lot locations, visit  https://maps.calpoly.edu/.

Safety and Security

A clear bag policy will be in effect in Spanos Stadium for graduates and guests. This limits individuals to one clear bag or small clutch per person (12 x 6 x 12 clear bag, 12 x 12 Ziploc, or 4.5 x 8.5 clutch). Diaper bags and medically necessary items/bags are permitted but will go through a thorough search process.

All graduates and guests will walk through metal detectors before entering Spanos Stadium. For additional safety and security information, including a list of prohibited items, visit  https://commencement.calpoly.edu/spring. 

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Ceremony Schedule

Saturday, June 14

8:30 a.m. | Orfalea College of Business

12:30 p.m. | Philip and Christina Bailey College of Science and Mathematics

4:30 p.m. | College of Liberal Arts

Sunday, June 15

8:30 a.m. | College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

12:30 p.m.| College of Architecture and Environmental Design

4:30 p.m.| College of Engineering

For additional details, including live streaming of the ceremonies, visit: 
https://commencement.calpoly.edu/spring.  

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At a Glance: The Class of 2025

Total number of eligible graduates:  6,821 (undergraduate and grad students)

Total number of eligible degrees: 100

Eligible undergraduate degrees: 66

Eligible graduate degrees: 34

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Degree Breakdown by College

Bailey College of Science and Mathematics (BCSM): 851 
   Undergraduate degrees: 726 
   Graduate degrees: 125

College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES): 1,203 
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,077 
   Graduate degrees: 126

College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED): 522 
   Undergraduate degrees: 494 
   Graduate degrees: 28

College of Engineering (CENG): 1,956 
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,585 
   Graduate degrees: 371

College of Liberal Arts (CLA): 1,164 
   Undergraduate degrees: 1,107 
   Graduate degrees: 57

Orfalea College of Business (OCOB): 1,125 
   Undergraduate degrees: 991 
   Graduate degrees: 134

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Top 10 Undergraduate Degrees

 1.         Business Administration (OCOB): 832

 2.         Mechanical Engineering (CENG): 353

 3.         Computer Science (CENG): 303

 4.         Biological Sciences: (BCSM): 181

 5.         Psychology (CLA): 164

 6.        Agricultural Business (CAFES): 164

 7.        Architecture (CAED): 163    

 8.        Civil Engineering (CENG): 158

 9.       Animal Science (CAFES): 152

10.     Construction Management (CAED): 144  

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Top 10 Graduate Degrees  

 1.         Electrical Engineering (CENG): 62

 2.        Mechanical Engineering (CENG): 58

 3.        Business Analytics (OCOB): 57  

 4.        Civil and Environmental Engineering (CENG): 53  

 5.        Computer Science (CENG): 51

 6.        Biomedical Engineering (CENG): 46

 7.        Business Administration (OCOB): 42

 8.        Agricultural Education (CAFES): 38

 9.        Environmental Sciences and Management (CAFES): 31

10.     Engineering Management (CENG): 29