Francesca Jones, Ernst and Young (EY) US Director of Early Careers, has a unique passion for winning—winning people, to be exact. Her drive to succeed isn't just about achieving goals; it's about connecting with individuals, appreciating their unique qualities and building lasting relationships. Winning for Jones means not only attracting top talent but also ensuring that each person feels valued and empowered within the EY community.
Nestled in the shores of Morro Bay sits the Morro Bay Harbor, home to the many boaters, workers, and sea life in the area. The harbor is kept safe by a group of dedicated professionals with a passion for the environment. Like many industries and occupations, harbor patrol is male dominated, and there is little representation for women in the field. Morro Bay local, Becka Kelly, is a female leader and manager that is redefining her industry. Kelly is the Morro Bay Harbor Patrol Supervisor, a broad role that encompasses multiple essential responsibilities and leadership duties.
Before Dr. Yin took the position as the Assistant Professor of Marketing everyone told her, “It’s a little paradise.” Dr. Yin agrees, adding that she views Cal Poly as the “crown jewel of all the CSU schools.” At Cal Poly, Dr. Yin teaches Consumer Insights and Marketing Principles, where she hopes to share her passion for marketing through Cal Poly’s Learn By Doing philosophy. For Dr. Yin, marketing’s ambiguity is it’s biggest draw — it’s truly what you make it!
In the heart of the San Jose financial district, where technology meets innovation, Holly Newman stands as a testament to what it means to be an influential businesswoman. Newman, a distinguished Tax Partner at Ernst and Young, got her start in audit and worked her way up to the top. Her perseverance in a male-dominated field isn’t just a story about rising through the ranks; it's an odyssey of dedication and determination to overcome challenges head-on. She stands as an inspiration to many women and wants the women coming out of Cal Poly to know you’ve “got what it takes.”
Nicole Alvarez, a Global Education Project Manager from Benefit Cosmetics, joined the Women in Business Association on Zoom as the first guest speaker of the winter quarter. She shared how her career has developed across job titles and industries, and gave advice to attendees. Seizing new opportunities and taking on new responsibilities ultimately led Alvarez to her gratifying position at Benefit Cosmetics.
Reporting by Anna Royal
On March 1, 2023, Cal Poly Women in Business (WIB) will be hosting their 9th annual Defining Her Future Conference (DHF). This year’s DHF theme is Persist — inspiring young women to persist in whichever goals and aspirations they hold. The conference will host 18 representatives from various companies such as Google, Adobe, Apple, Cisco, Intel, and Disney. The event is sponsored by the Big 4 accounting firms, as well as Chevron and several local businesses..
DHF will run from 8:00am to 4:00pm and follow a packed schedule. The conference commences with an introduction to the event, followed by speeches from WIB leaders and OCOB Dean, Damon Fleming. After the speeches, there will be a diverse array of 45-minute panels with industry professionals and workshops for attendees to choose from.
Simone Pucher, 4th year Cal Poly Business student and conference director of DHF, is in charge of planning the entirety of the event. Her role involves finding guest speakers, managing the planning committees, and ensuring the conference runs smoothly. The committees Pucher manages consists of 18 women, with two marketing teams and a logistical committee.
“The DHF conference is a great networking opportunity, for not only women in business but all majors and all identities to come and grow and learn from different professionals and their certain industry and role. It’s a great way to network and gain your skills both professionally and personally,” Pucher said.
Pucher emphasized that the speakers will reflect the theme of Persist by presenting the challenges and setbacks they have overcome to achieve their current positions.
“It's a great opportunity to meet a lot of different companies all at once. Also ,you gain personal insights about how they've started their job…how they've overcome challenges. I think everyone should know and understand that life isn't one straight line, you go in all different areas and directions,” Pucher added.
In addition to the multiple speakers and workshops at the event, there will be designated networking periods, with the main one being during DHF lunch. There will also be sponsorship tables outside of the Performing Arts Center (PAC) managed by Cal Poly alumni throughout the day. Pucher outlined the promising opportunities presented by these networking booths.
“We also recommend everyone to bring their resume along. I know a lot of people that have gotten jobs from coming to DHF and talking to sponsors,” Pucher said.
Isabella Fichtenholtz is a first year on the WIB DHF marketing strategies committee. Fichtenholtz assisted Pucher with marketing to promote the event.
“A part of what I do is I write all the captions for the instagram, I was in charge of figuring out swag bags…Also making sure that there’s outreach and people are wanting and excited to come,” Fichtenholtz said.
Fichtenholtz expressed her excitement in the conference and outlined the multiple benefits of attending DHF.
“Not only are you able to network with a bunch of professionals, but you get free headshots. It's also a fun way to meet new people. I am a freshman at Cal Poly and I don’t know a lot of people in OCOB, so [through] going to this conference, I may make some new friends,” Fichtenholtz said.
After investing her time in planning the conference since November of last year, Pucher highlighted her enthusiasm with the conference coming to fruition at the end of this week.
“I am really excited for the whole reward of it, for it to be done, accomplished, and also to have everyone enjoy the conference. It is really rewarding to see everyone get something out of it, whether that's meeting new friends, getting a job, hearing from great professionals, [or] getting great advice.”
You’ve landed the role. You’ve networked, you’ve aced the interviews, and you’ve accepted the offer. Congrats! You have completed stage one of the internship process. The scary part is over; now, you must prepare how you will actually prove your potential to your employer. Julia Walker shares three tips she wishes she’d known when she was first starting out as an intern.
Harry Potter, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Plato and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez all have one thing in common–they were all mentees! None of these figures would be in leadership positions without support from mentors that guided them personally and professionally.
Mentorship can be a very daunting undertaking, as experts and leaders can be intimidating people to have personal conversations with. It can be even more difficult to establish personal goals or decide what kind of relationship you want. Luckily there are many steps and resources for those who want to be a mentor or find one.
On Jan. 22, 2024, lecturers, professors, coaches, and other employees across all 23 California State University (CSU) campuses will go on strike demanding higher pay and improved student and workers’ rights. Solina Lindahl, a Cal Poly Economics lecturer for 29 years and San Luis Obispo (SLO) local is highly involved in organizing the strike for the Cal Poly SLO campus. She sits on Cal Poly’s CFA board with many of her colleagues. Lindahl sat down with The Wire and provided an inside view on what Cal Poly and other CSU workers are striking against and hoping to achieve through their protests.
Internship season is around the corner, which means Cal Poly students’ search for new opportunities is now in full swing. With the future laid out ahead, Cal Poly students face the nerves and excitement of starting their new working lives. Many students dream about the possibilities awaiting them after college, but many also dread the transition from campus life to the professional world. Throughout the transition from student to professional, networking can be an effective way for Cal Poly students to seek new opportunities and receive guidance in their careers.
“Learn by Doing” is Cal Poly’s unique educational style, leading the way professors teach their students in and outside the lecture hall. This philosophy fosters a hands-on way of learning, diverging from traditional methods of book and lecture-based education. Students are encouraged to experience what they are learning first-hand, whether it be engineering a prototype or farming in the agricultural fields. Cal Poly students often utilize “Learn by Doing” outside of the classroom by seeking internships, job-related experiences, and joining student organizations where they can pursue their interests in real-world situations. Students have adopted and brought this “Learn by Doing” philosophy into the halls of the freshman dorms, gaining personal experience in running a business. From liberal arts majors to agriculture majors, we spoke to a diverse group of first-year women who have started their own businesses within their dorms by selling various products and services to their Cal Poly peers.
Cal Poly may be known for its nationally regarded STEM program, hands-on learning philosophy, and state-of-the-art labs, but what students may not be aware of is the major thrift culture that exists on campus. When students walk by Dexter Lawn on Tuesdays and Thursdays, a plethora of vendors sell used clothes and accessories, transforming the lawn into a hub of community and sustainable fashion efforts.
The slump begins when the motivation for the new year wears off. The reality of being a full-time student—juggling clubs, balancing relationships, and maintaining one's mental health all at once—begins to take a toll. Students start procrastinating, losing their creative drive, and oftentimes feel like their social battery is on low energy. So what does one do? How can students beat the Cal Poly Slump?
Wander with WIB aims to serve as WIB pipeline by elevating club’s core values
Congratulations, Cal Poly! As you embark on your college journey, the summer break presents a valuable opportunity for personal growth, exploration, and preparation for the upcoming academic year. Balancing productivity and relaxation is vital to making the most of your summer. This guide provides a roadmap for keeping your summers productive while also embracing the importance of rest and rejuvenation.
April 26, 2023 By Ava Kalinske
Chandani Patel Thompson, an alumnus of the Orfalea College of Business (OCOB), is a successful lawyer who credits her education at OCOB for much of her success. She was first introduced to the idea of pursuing law while taking a class with business professor Chris Carr, and after graduating from Cal Poly and working at iTunes, she decided to pursue law school to continue moving up in her career.
Chandani’s legal career was further prefaced with a non-profit organization called Strive to Provide which she started during her sophomore year at Cal Poly. Starting a non-profit aimed at helping less fortunate individuals taught her valuable project management skills that she has been able to apply to her legal career; furthermore, it speaks to the level of learn-by-doing that OCOB ingrains in its students.
Chandani Patel Thompson, from LinkedIn
But her project management skills were not limited to her non-profit; after graduating from law school, Chandani landed jobs with Pandora and PopSugar, where her background in business was extremely valuable. Her marketing classes at OCOB taught her how to create effective marketing campaigns, a skill she uses as an in-house lawyer where she must market herself and her ideas to the rest of the company and make visual and user-friendly presentations to her team. She now works as the Director of Legal at Tuneln Inc.
Chandani Patel Thompson's workday as Director of Legal at Tuneln Inc. is quite varied and involves many tasks, all of which she feels OCOB’s learn-by-doing strategy prepared her for. One of her primary roles is to provide legal advice and guidance to her team and other departments within the company. This could include reviewing contracts, negotiating indemnity, or providing guidance on intellectual property or privacy matters. She also manages the legalities of licensing content and distributing it across the platform, which can involve working with partners such as the NFL and dealing with royalty aspects of content.
In addition, Chandani is involved in monetizing TuneIn's platform, which could involve deciding between a free ad-based model or a subscription-based model. To make these decisions, she needs to use her business background and calculate the revenue generated by advertising deals. Chandani also needs to ensure that Tuneln is complying with relevant regulations and laws when it comes to advertising.
Research and writing skills are also crucial for Chandani's role, as she needs to stay up to date with legal developments and write contracts, memos and other legal documents. Chandani said her workday is quite dynamic and requires her to be able to handle a range of different tasks and responsibilities.
When asked what advice she has for OCOB students, Chandani said, “Don’t be afraid of not knowing where you will end up.” She encourages current OCOB students to embrace the unknown and to have confidence in their ability to adapt and thrive in any situation. You never know where your path may lead you, and that's part of the excitement of life.
As we conclude our series featuring the range of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American businesses and cuisines in San Luis Obispo, we hope to continue sharing stories and the voices of disproportionately-affected minorities, women, marginalized groups, and regional ethnicities.
Meet the foodies, Kristi Leung and Emily Chan. Both are full-time Cal Poly students who are dedicated to trying new cuisines and sharing their delicious finds on their Instagram food accounts. Learn all about their not-so-secret favorite restaurants in San Luis Obispo.
To continue showcasing the various types of Asian businesses and cuisine, boba shops and concepts from Northern and Southern California are taking San Luis Obispo County by storm. Originating from Taiwan, this tea-based drink is typically served with tapioca pearls and has since spread to reach communities abroad.
May is Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month and serves to remind us of the resilience and sacrifices the first Asian immigrants faced while settling in the United States. The Wire’s goal has always been to center the voices of disproportionately-affected minorities, women, and marginalized groups. To conclude Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month, we set forth to showcase the various types of Asian businesses and cuisines in San Luis Obispo County.
We would like to acknowledge that the Cal Poly Multicultural Center’s Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Community and Programs uses the term APIDA to deliberately recognize South Asian (Desi) folx with many regional ethnicities under the classification of Asian in higher education.
