I Am First-Gen
Welcome!
This portal began as an idea from the CLA Student Diversity Committee who wanted to establish a site for First-Gen students to learn about campus resources, and the broader first-generation community at Cal Poly. College opens up numerous possibilities, opportunities, and new questions. This page offers first-generation students a portal to learn about these resources, link to additional information from various colleges, and introduce you to Cal Poly faculty, staff, and administrators who were also the first in their family to graduate from college. Know that we are here to offer guidance and reassurance, and please feel free to reach out to diversity@calpoly.edu for further information, support, or to make a connection.
Meet First-Gen Faculty & Staff
Meet Cal Poly Faculty, Staff, and Administrators Who Are First-Generation
- College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science (CAFES)
- College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED)
- College of Engineering (CENG)
- College of Liberal Arts (CLA – Visit CLA's First-Gen Portal)
- College of Science and Mathematics (COSAM)
- Orfalea College of Business (OCOB)
- Cal Poly Staff and Administration
What to do before you get to Cal Poly
Summer Institute, Honors, SLO Days, WOW, Parents Weekend
A program supporting local high school students in pre-college performance and higher-education pursuits.
Educational Opportunity Program (EOP)
A program that supports student retention and encourages college success and community building. Incoming first-year students partake in the mandatory Summer Institute program which assists in easing the transition from a high-school environment to a 4-year university.
The Cal Poly Honor’s program seeks to challenge students by providing an opportunity for them to participate in experiential and interdisciplinary learning.
An annual event in the spring showcasing the Cal Poly campus life to incoming mustangs and their supporters.
The Quarter Plus program provides an intensive academic opportunity for you to accelerate your academic studies in the early fall.
Throughout the year, Parent and Family Programs hosts a variety of events that connect families and supporters to the Cal Poly community.
The first part of the two part Cal Poly orientation series for incoming undergraduate students. At SLO Days, students will learn more about academics and campus support resources.
The second part to the Cal Poly Orientation series, where students will have numerous opportunities where they will connect to the Cal Poly and SLO community before the commencement of Fall quarter.
A weekend designed to acquaint prospective students to the Cal Poly University by exploring academic, cultural, and social resources of the institution.
Student Resource Guides
Resource guides curated for students belonging to particular identity groups
A resource guide curated for apida identifying students.
A resource guide curated for Black identifying students.
A resource guide curated for Latinx identifying students.
A resource guide curated for LGBTQ+ identifying students.
Money Talk
Funds, Grants, Financial Aid, Loans, FAFSA
Cal Poly Charges Tuition-Registration one quarter at a time, based on enrollment. On Campus Housing and Dining charges are usually posted for the entire year.
A grant designated to offset a short-term financial need for students experiencing temporary hardship related to an unexpected situation.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application students complete to be considered for federal, state and institutional aid such as grants, loans and work-study.
An extension of California financial aid that extends eligibility for undocumented students.
A financial aid award can be composed of different kinds of aid including grants, loans, scholarships and work-study coming from federal, state, university, and private resources.
Wellness and Basic Needs
Food Pantry, Cal Poly Hunger Program, Cal Poly Cares
Campus Health & Wellbeing cultivates student success through timely care and the promotion of lasting wellness.
The Food Pantry has a robust from a wide variety of packaged and canned foods, fresh produce, frozen meals, and personal hygiene items, such as diapers and menstrual products.
CalFresh is a nutrition assistance program that provides eligible students with up to $250 per month to spend on groceries.
The Meal Voucher Program assists enrolled students who find themselves in extreme financial need and are experiencing food insecurity. These vouchers are offered on a quarterly basis.
A San Luis Obispo non-profit organization that provides access to nutritious food for to alleviate hunger and build a stronger community.
Safer is Cal Poly's prevention education & confidential advocacy resource for sexual assault, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, stalking, sexual exploitation and harassment.
First-Generation Discussion Group
A supportive space for underrepresented students to explore their experiences and intersecting identities.
Academic Services
Academic Resources, Advising
Academic Advising provides a multitude of services that aide students in their degree trajectory.
Writing and Learning Initiatives (Writing Center)
The Office of Writing and Learning Initiatives supports student learning and achievement by coordinating a variety of programs and services.
There are a variety of student academic services through different departments and programs.
The Academic Skills Center (ASC) enhances Mustangs to succeed by providing innovative programs to enrich academic development and reinforce the learn by doing emphasis at Cal Poly.
TRIO Achievers is a federally funded program that provides academic advising, tutoring, career information, help with financial aid concerns, workshops, and help understanding academic policies and procedures and many more.
Educational Opportunity Program
A program that supports student retention and encourages college success and community building.
The Transfer Center has the mission of empowering and supporting transfer students to succeed and thrive at Cal Poly while advancing institutional support for transfer students.
the Cal Poly International Center connects students with opportunities to study, intern and research abroad, supports international students and scholars, facilitates international travel for faculty and staff, and more.
Disability Resource Center (DRC)
The DRC provides students with permanent and temporary disabilities to equitable opportunities in and out of the classroom.
There are a multitude of resources available to students who are pregnant and parenting.
Undergraduate Research, Mentoring, & Academic Access Programs
Programs for First-Generation and Underrepresented Students
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Science (CAFES)
- Multicultural Agriculture Program (MAP – Peer mentoring and community support)
The Multicultural Agriculture Program (MAP) provides support and encouragement to undergraduate students of all cultural backgrounds in the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences with a peer mentor-based structure that cultivates student achievement and a sense of community.
- Summer Undergraduate Research Program (CAFES-SURP – Summer research program)
The purpose of SURP is to provide research experiences for our undergraduate students working alongside our faculty during the summer. This program also supports the scholarly efforts of our faculty through engagement with undergraduate students.
College of Engineering (CENG)
- Multicultural Engineering Program (Community and professional development program)
The Multicultural Engineering Program (MEP) is a retention program designed to provide equitable opportunities to students who have been historically underserved in the College of Engineering at Cal Poly. MEP leverages a strong support network to build a community and provide the necessary bridges for students' academic success.
College of Liberal Arts (CLA)
- Underrepresented Students Network (USN – Peer mentoring program)
The purpose of USN is to assist underrepresented students in having an equitable educational experience as a part of the Cal Poly campus.
- Access, Community, Equity Program (ACE – Stipends and mentoring for high-impact practices)
The Access, Community and Equity (ACE) Program helps remove barriers and improve access by providing stipends of up to $1,000 to first-generation or lower-income students specifically so they can participate in high-impact Learn by Doing experiences.
College of Science and Mathematics (COSAM)
The mission of this committee is to create an inclusive and equitable college culture by addressing policies and practices that are barriers to success.
Students will be matched with a peer mentor based on common interests, background, academics, and professional aspirations.
Orfalea College of Business (OCOB)
- Multicultural Business Program (MBP – Community and professional development program)
The Multicultural Business Program (MBP) is a diverse, inclusive, and multicultural community led by students for students where they matter, belong, and with professional support are connected with resources to persist to graduation and beyond.
University-wide Programs
- BEACoN (Funded undergraduate research program)
The BEACoN program exists to connect historically underrepresented and excluded undergraduate students with real-world, paid, research experience at Cal Poly.
- Cal Poly Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in STEM (LSAMP – Funded undergraduate research program)
The LSAMP program is designed to support undergraduate students who face or have faced social, educational, and/or economic barriers to careers in STEM fields. The program also aims to significantly increase the persistence and quantity of underrepresented minority students who successfully complete a baccalaureate degree program in STEM fields.
- First-Generation Discussion Group (Campus Health and Wellbeing)
Cal Poly Counseling Services is teaming up with Academic Advisors to offer a credit/no credit course to support our BIPOC First Gen Students. This is a supportive space for students who are struggling to adjust to Cal Poly and who may be underrepresented on this campus. Students will explore their experiences and intersecting identities.
Navigating Registration
Registering for Classes
Tools that students can use to assist them in registering.
The academic calendar shows certain school breaks, holidays, exam times, etc...
Jobs
Career Fairs, Job Search Advice
Career Services empowers students to achieve a lifetime of meaningful career success by engaging with Cal Poly's vibrant network.
Cal Poly provides numerous resume and cover letter tutorials and templates.
The Center for Leadership fosters socially responsible leadership development through high-impact practices, programs, and events that are innovative, inclusive, and educational.
Housing
Information about on campus dorms and apartments, and navigating off campus housing options
University Housing offers dorm accommodations for first year students, and on campus apartments for upperclassmen, grad students, and transfer students.
Cal Poly Housing, Sublets and Roommates
A useful Facebook group where members of the Cal Poly Community post and share sublet, roommate and lease opportunities.
A comprehensive guide for having a positive roommate experience and what Campus Housing can to help
A guide to all the off campus housing options available in San Luis Obispo
Get Involved
Campus Clubs, Sports and Organizations
Cal Poly Now is where you can see the hundreds of student organizations on campus. These include clubs, honors societies, Greek life, and club sports.
Student Diversity & Belonging (SDAB) is a collective of campus resource centers supporting and empowering students experiencing marginalization through intersectional advocacy and cultural connection to build a more just and equitable Cal Poly community.
Black Academic Excellence Center (BAEC)
BAEC is committed to supporting the advancement and excellence of Black students and Black student groups within the Cal Poly community.
The Dream Center is a community of staff, students, and supporters aspiring towards constructing an equitable space on campus that continuously uplifts, empowers, and defends the undocumented student voices at Cal Poly.
Rooted in values of equity and justice, the Multi-Cultural Center (MCC) is dedicated to the recruitment, retention, and success of historically underrepresented groups.
The GEC supports and empowers all womxn-identifying students, faculty, and staff by creating strong community and offering resources explore feminist, womxnist, and mujerista movements through an intersectional lens.
The Pride Center supports and empowers people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions to strengthen and unite our central coast community.
The program’s focus would be continuing and elaborating on its initial mission—engaging men and the culture of masculinity on campus, towards the goal of ending sexual assault.
Latinx/e Center for Academic Success and Acievement (La CASA)
La CASA aims to support the retention and success of Latinx identifying students through providing a physical space, as well as cultural programming that aims to foster a community.
Native American and Indigenous Cultural Center
The Native American and Indigenous Cultural Center seeks to embrace and encourage students to (re)connect to the traditions and cultures of Native American and Indigenous peoples.
The Center for Leadership fosters socially responsible leadership development through high-impact practices, programs, and events that are innovative, inclusive, and educational.
