Cal Poly Corporation, which has proudly served Cal Poly for over 80 years as a mission-driven nonprofit enabling faculty research and supporting a Learn by Doing experience for students, is being renamed Cal Poly Partners.
The name change comes after three years of extensive research conducted among students, faculty and staff. The name Cal Poly Partners better reflects the purpose of the organization; its vision to be the most impactful Cal Poly partner; and its mission to inspire, empower and push boundaries so that students, faculty and staff thrive.
“Every day our staff come to campus and work alongside our university colleagues in support of more than 300 campus programs, initiatives and institutes, all to enhance the student experience and make Learn by Doing possible,” Cal Poly Partners Chief Executive Officer Cody VanDorn said. “We partner with the university on health research, marine sciences, gender equity, cyber security, entrepreneurship, strawberry research, airplane prototypes and so many more ways than most people realize. The Cal Poly Partners name more clearly represents this and the fact that we are a not-for-profit organization whose sole role is to support the university.”
A 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization, Cal Poly Partners has been an integral part of the fabric that has made Cal Poly thrive for over eight decades. In the 1940s, it leased Cal Poly land to operate a naval flight school, keeping it open during World War II. Since the 1960s, it has operated Campus Dining and the bookstore.
Cal Poly Partners has diversified its campus portfolio. Currently it is working with university leadership to expand attainable housing options for faculty and staff and creating pathways to alleviate food insecurity on campus by providing 50,000 meals to students in need. Cal Poly Partners staff provide support services to university programs like Swanton Pacific Ranch, the Center for Health Research, Center for Coastal Marine Sciences, Airplane Prototype Laboratory and more than 300 other programs. In turn, it offers flexible income as well as valuable life and career skills to an estimated 2,000 students.
Cal Poly Partners has done all this as a 100 percent self-support organization without state funding. As a nonprofit organization, every dollar generated goes back to Cal Poly, providing vital resources to the campus community.
The name change will help to increase awareness and advocacy for Cal Poly Partners and its purpose as a nonprofit partner to the university. It will also introduce the potential for expanded cross-campus and community partnerships, thus increasing opportunities for positive student impact.
Just as before, Cal Poly Partners will continue its purpose to inspire, empower and push boundaries so that students, faculty and staff thrive and forge partnerships that shape the future and build a brighter tomorrow for Cal Poly and its community.
About Cal Poly Partners
Cal Poly Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. It is 100 percent self-supporting and receives no state funding. Every dollar generated goes back to Cal Poly, providing vital resources to the campus community. Through a flexible approach and an unyielding spirit, Cal Poly Partners breaks boundaries to provide essential university resources and services. It exists to enhance the Cal Poly experience, from delicious dining options, affordable textbooks and cutting-edge technology to academic supplies, spirited gear and faculty and staff housing.
