State Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and aerospace engineering senior Trevor Goehring at the state Capitol building this past weekend.
Kait Freeberg
Special to Mustang News
Sixteen Cal Poly students were recognized at the California State Senate this past weekend for their accomplishments as individuals and through university organizations.
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong invited the students on the trip, which was the first of its kind during his time at Cal Poly.
“It was a networking alumni trip lead by the president,” said Katie Hoselton, a political science senior. “Its purpose was to reach out to alumni and meet friends in the capitol. We met the state senator, who is also a friend of the president.”
The various Cal Poly majors traveled first to Danville and then to Sacramento for the weekend, Hoselton said.
“I was chosen because I represented Cal Poly though the Panetta Institute for Public Policy and I interned in (Washington), D.C., for three months,” Hoselton said.
The students were invited to showcase their achievements to alumni throughout the weekend at this exclusive Cal Poly event.
Students took part in both breakfast and lunch networking sessions, toured the capital and were able to meet with legislators from their hometowns.
Jessica Klemme, an environmental engineering senior, represented the Society of Women Engineers, who were awarded with the Gold Level Outstanding Section Award.
“This is given to colleges who are role models for, basically, all colleges on their level,” said Klemme.
Klemme’s favorite part of the weekend was meeting the alumni who wanted to see Cal Poly students succeeding. She also enjoyed learning about what other students are doing on campus outside of engineering.
“On the bus ride home we all became friends, all 16 of us,” Klemme said. “We are thinking about starting a club.”
The following students were honored during the trip:
Jason Colombini
Major: Agricultural business
Zeta Beta Tau fraternity 2013 Roswell “Buddy” Messing Award for Outstanding Brother of the Year, (CE: ASI President?)
Ian Davison
Major: Mechanical engineering
Rose Parade Float, Crown City Innovation Award, best use of imagination and innovation to advance the art of float design
Certified “California Grown” by California Secretary of Food & Agriculture Karen Ross and California Cut Flower Commission for having at least 85 percent of its floral decorations grown in state
Quincy Freeman
Major: Agricultural science
Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization National Collegiate Elevator Pitch Competition Winner
Trevor Goehring
Major: Aerospace engineering
First Place American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Foundation (AIAA) Undergraduate Team Aircraft Design
Jacob Gamble
Major: Physics
A large ion collider experiment (ALICE) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research
Katie Hoselton
Major: Political Science
Panetta Institute for Public Policy Congressional internship
Jessie Klemme
Major: Environmental engineering
Gold Level Award, Large Collegiate Section, Society of Women Engineers (named best chapter in the nation)
Andrew Levins
Major: City and regional planning
Bank of America’s 22nd Annual Low Income Housing Challenge winner
Ann Livingston-Peters
Major: Engineering
First Place, Innovative Design for Shell Supermileage Contest
Scott Pensky
Major: Soil science
Third place at International Research Symposium at Soil Science Society of America
Chris Pittner
Major: Environmental engineering
The Institute for Energy and the Environment/Western Ecological Research Center’s Annual International Environmental Design Contest Winner
Emma Sandquist
Major: Food science
Second place Institute of Food Technologists Student Association Developing Solutions for Developing Countries
John Sekerak
Major: Physics
CUORE Neutrinoless Double-Beta Decay Experiment in Italy
Alison Shapira
Major: Food science
First place Disney – Institute of Food Technologists Student Association A Product Development Competition
Kirsten Smith
Major: Business administration
National Packaging Design Winner for the Institute of Packaging Professionals Ameristar Student Package Awards
Juana Villa
Major: Graphic communication
2013 California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement
William Randolph Hearst Scholar