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.

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.. 

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. 

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 fashion industry is a major contributor to pollution and climate, even known to be the 2nd worst polluting industry after oil and gas largely due to fast fashion. 

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?

In a triumphant celebration of newly conditionally admitted students to Orafeala’s College of Business, the Wander with WIB event held during open house emerged as a resounding success, smashing all previous attendee records with  attendance peaking at 50 students since its inception in 2019, according to WIB VP of highschool partnerships, Abigail Dorman. 

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.

WIB Board’s 2023 Seniors reflect on their time at Cal Poly and share their advice and post-grad plans!

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.

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.

There is a big misconception these days about the value of a liberal arts education, and what it means to be a liberal arts major. One of the most common errors is that, compared to a STEM-centered education, the liberal arts are perceived as less impressive and less applicable to career fields; however, this is far from the truth.

Cal Poly is reputed as a top science, technology, math and science (STEM) school, with several College of Engineering (CENG) programs ranking among the best in the nation. Many people don’t realize the university also houses several renowned liberal arts programs, including one of the best undergraduate creative writing programs in the western United States.

Spring quarter marks the time when the pressure is on to find plans after the school year ends–whether it is questions about summer plans and the pressure to be productive, or the imminent “what are you doing after college?” question that soon-to-be graduates face–there is no avoiding the subject.

While some students might have already planned their next steps through fall career fairs or recruiting, the timeline varies across different years, majors, and of course, on a person to person basis.

Orfalea College of Business Career Counselor Travis Raynaud understands this intimidation. He encouraged students to take a self-reflective approach to job searching, starting with what they want and what their deal breakers are. He advises students to take the first step by sitting down and writing it out, considering factors such as job function, location and career mobility.

Technology allows this generation’s workforce to constantly be at work. Emails, texts and messages can be exchanged at any hour of the day, anywhere. The pandemic has blurred the lines between work and personal life even more and has heightened feelings of guilt from a pause in productivity for many people.

This pressure to be ceaselessly productive is a notion that’s reminiscent of workaholism and is now affecting younger people who aren't in the workforce yet as well. 

Looking to expand your professional development outside of the classroom? These Cal Poly resources open to students of all majors can teach entrepreneurial, branding, and teamwork skills applicable to any career.

In April the United States officially made the COVID-19 vaccine available to anyone over the age of 16 who wanted it in all states. On that same day, over half of the U.S’s population had already received at least one dose.

Fair trade practices focus on creating and sustaining equitable trade relationships with producers in growing countries. But what does that look like in San Luis Obispo?

The very secrecy and exclusivity that some may tout as a benefit of Greek life is very quickly becoming its downfall, and in order for organizations to be able to continue to function as part of college life, change needs to happen.

Technology has changed the way that companies, both big and small, innovate and adapt.

Face filters, originally called lenses, are an augmented reality (AR) feature introduced by Snapchat in January 2015 and have become widely used across social media. Their use became especially widespread when Instagram introduced face filters in May 2018.

Description goeOn March 7, 2025, Cal Poly Women in Business (WIB) will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Defining Her Future (DHF) conference. DHF is an all-day conference in the Performing Arts Center revolving around empowering the next generation of female business leaders.