Contact: Jay Thompson
805-235-0955; jthomp04@calpoly.edu

To celebrate Commencement each year, Cal Poly highlights a group of “Great Grads” — a student from each of the university’s six colleges who are completing their academic journey here and moving on to the next phase of their lives. This year, we explore the idea of the impact our graduates have had as students at Cal Poly or will have as professionals when they take their Learn by Doing experience into the world.  

Luke Hansen 
Bailey College of Science and Mathematics

Inspired by his late mother and intent on making a positive impact on his community, Luke Hansen knows exactly where’s he’s headed after graduating from Cal Poly. “I’m very clear on my path in medicine,” said the Nipomo resident. “I’m very interested in family medicine, primary care, and I know without a doubt that I want to come back to San Luis Obispo County, because we have such a critical need for it — I credit my success to the incredible opportunities at Cal Poly that have prepared me academically and personally on my journey to becoming a physician.”

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-luke-hansen-kinesiology-major

Yoali Romero 
Orfalea College of Business 

During Yoali Romero’s time at Cal Poly, the Anaheim native has taken part in two senior accounting projects that focus on the tax practice: the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, or VITA, program, that provides free tax help to qualifying taxpayers; and the Low Income Tax Clinic, which offers pro bono representation to people with IRS tax disputes; advocates on behalf of low-income taxpayers; and conducts outreach and education about tax issues to the public, many second-language English speakers. “These experiences have reinforced my passion to help out others using the knowledge that I have,” Romero said.

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-yoali-romero-business-administration-major

Misael Gonzalez Ramirez 
College of Architecture and Environmental Design

Misael Gonzalez Ramirez, a resident of Rohnert Park, found that his interest in hands-on learning made Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing ethos a perfect fit. “I wanted a program to really emphasize that real-world application rather than just theory,” Gonzalez said. As the first in his family to attend a university, he faced challenges common to many first-generation students. “I had a lot of self-doubt being first-generation, as college was a completely new world to me,” Gonzalez said. “However, early on I made a commitment to get involved early, really push myself to break out of my shell.”

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-misael-gonzalez-ramirez-construction-management-major

Olivia Madrigal 
College of Engineering

Olivia Madrigal, born in Los Angeles, and raised in Chevy Chase, Maryland, found Learn by Doing to be an important boost to her studies and knowledge. Madrigal, a materials engineering major, supplemented her education with multiple extracurricular experiences, including building car chassis with Cal Poly Racing; a short stint with a cubesat team under contract to launch an educational spacecraft for interactive learning; a photochemistry summer research group; and driving endurance for the Solar Regatta Club that developed an award-winning boat with a solar-powered propulsion system. After graduation, she plans to continue her education through professional learning experiences that offer practical, meaningful work.

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-olivia-madrigal-materials-engineering-major

Tyler Coari 
College of Liberal Arts

Tyler Coari, a Carlsbad resident who will graduate with his master’s degree in public policy, found his home at Cal Poly through ASI student government, working his way up to the role of chief of staff to the ASI president during his third year. “I have hopes of running for public office someday — but in the near term, I really want to work for a local or state agency or in a related nonprofit organization here in California,” he said — with the goal of advocacy for affordable housing and improved multimodal transportation.

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-tyler-coari-public-policy-graduate-student

Nabila Wildman 
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

Nabila Wildman, an environmental earth and soil science major from San Francisco, aspires to share their expertise in soil science and love of discovery with others. “Through my research, I want to learn what we can from the natural world, so that we can apply it to restoration practices and agricultural practices. That’s my ultimate goal,” said Wildman (who uses they/their pronouns). “It’s a dream of mine to start a soil science department at a university that doesn’t already have one,” they said.  

https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-nabila-wildman-soil-science-major