Seven Members of Cal Poly’s Class of 2026 Are Ready Day One for Commencement and Beyond
Contact: Jay Thompson
805-235-0955; jthomp04@calpoly.edu
Four men and three women from the university’s six colleges and Cal Poly Maritime Academy represent over 6,000 graduates and master’s students
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Commencement is the most exciting weekend of the year for students, families, faculty and administrators, and on its eve Cal Poly highlights a select group who represent some of the best and brightest members of the Class of 2026. The four men and three women each represent one of the university’s six colleges and the Cal Poly Maritime Academy.
This year, we spotlight how their education and extracurriculars have prepared them as Ready Day One individuals: confident, mature and eager to take the next step in their lives. Like their classmates, they have faced switchbacks on the mountainous climb to subject proficiency, overcoming personal hurdles and occasional doubts on their journeys to reach this educational summit and life milestone.
Some will step into careers, while others bolster their bona fides with additional studies to fulfill career dreams in a wide range of fields: environmental planning and wildfire mitigation, foreign affairs, healthcare, human relations, manufacturing (airliners and seagoing vessels) and public policy leadership.
Marc Cabeliza
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Marc Cabeliza moved to Santa Maria, California, with his family when he was 9. He followed his sister’s lead into public advocacy while in high school and later was named president of the California FFA Association, taking a gap year to crisscross the state for FFA. Although he lived just 30 miles from campus, he decided to attend as a bioresource and agricultural engineering major based on the advice of alumni on the power of Learn by Doing. Advocacy efforts continued and he rose from a college representative to student body president representing 22,000 classmates. He heads next to the state capitol in Sacramento to work and learn more leadership skills.
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
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Nico Julia
College of Liberal Arts
Nico Julia says people are often confused when they hear about the range of subjects that fuels his passion for the kaleidoscopic knowledge he’ll need for a career in the foreign service. The Palo Alto, California, resident majored in political science, Spanish and geography, but his interests also include languages, computer science, statistics and biology. “The truth is that all of those feed into and deepen my geographical knowledge,” he said. “My interest goes back as far as I can remember (and) grew into a framework for developing real global fluency, which requires a strong geographical foundation.” Julia grew up in Paris and talked his way into an internship at the French embassy in Serbia and has set his sights after graduate school on becoming a diplomat.
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
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Rebeka Moges
Bailey College of Science and Mathematics
Rebeka Moges came to Cal Poly as a biochemistry major and is leaving with a bachelor’s degree in public health. The Santa Monica, California, resident, who was born in Ethiopia, is bound next for the Ivy League and Brown University in Rhode Island on a full-ride scholarship. Her master’s program aims to create leaders who will transform public health research and practice to address deep disparities in health systems and outcomes, with and eye toward becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. After changing majors at Cal Poly, Moges gained experience through two campus programs that included educational funding, mentoring for underrepresented students and chances for research. Being the lead author of two scientific papers is a source of pride.
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
Full Profile
https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-rebeka-moges-public-health-major
John O’Donnell
College of Engineering
John O’Donnell personifies Cal Poly’s mission to prepare Ready Day One workers. The Seattle resident came to the university for its aeronautical engineering reputation and San Luis Obispo’s mellow vibe. Initially the rocketry club seemed like a good extracurricular, but his passion became Cal Poly Racing, ultimately leading the 100-person group that required skills directly applicable to the aerospace industry. “This philosophy shifted my studies from memorization to application; I stopped asking ‘Will this be on the test?’ and started asking ‘How will this hold up on the vehicle?’” He will begin his career on the floor as a liaison engineer at the Boeing Co.’s Triple Seven airliner facility.
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
Full Profile
https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-john-odonnell-aeronautical-engineering-major
Tyler Venator
Cal Poly Maritime Academy
Tyler Venator is a mechanical engineering major from Santa Clara, California. He stood apart from his peers and rose through the ranks to become commander of the Corps of Cadets — “the senior-most cadet on campus in terms of leadership,” the 22-year-old said. “When I first came to Cal Maritime, I wasn’t sure of myself. I knew I wanted to be an engineer and work with my hands, but I didn’t have a clear direction beyond that. Now, … I’m prepared to enter the workforce, confident in my skills and knowledge.” He will begin his career in shipbuilding and repair at General Dynamics NASSCO in San Diego — the only full-service shipyard on the West Coast.
Photo by Joe Johnston | Cal Poly
Full Profile
https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-tyler-venator-mechanical-engineering-major
Lily Wade
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Lily Wade plans to work as an environmental planner in wildfire or hazard mitigation. Like many transfer students, the Oroville, California, resident chose Cal Poly for its graduation rates and Learn by Doing approach. But she stands apart as a representative of a unique cohort of 53 students who as children experienced life in foster care. Foster care alumni have faced difficult situations as children, and many adults continue to be shadowed by external challenges that hinder their education. The Guardian Scholars Program stepped in to provide support that helped her succeed and become a near straight-A student. Wade was also focused and motivated by her late dad’s advice: Education is something no one can take from you.
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
Full Profile
https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-lily-wade-city-and-regional-planning-major
Alexis Wong
Orfalea College of Business
Business student Alexis Wong was home schooled in middle and high school. Although she graduated with little peer-to-peer experience, she learned to trust her intuition. It led her to Monterey Peninsula College, where she dived into the campus culture, and ultimately to Cal Poly. The Monterey, California, resident shined with Learn by Doing, fully immersed with presentations and on team-based assignments and was named to the Dean’s List for academic honors. The 21-year-old travels hopeful and on the eve of commencement again is trusting her intuition to hit the ground running after deciding where “to pursue my master’s and doctorate programs,” she said. “I know I value my faith, integrity and gratitude for this life, so wherever that takes me, I will be excited.”
Photo by Jay Thompson | Cal Poly
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https://www.calpoly.edu/news/great-grad-meet-alexis-wong-business-administration-student
