This series serves as a gathering place for research on the history of California Polytechnic State University, from its origins as the "California Polytechnic School" in 1901 through the present.
Additional research on Cal Poly's history is accessible at Kennedy Library, including senior projects pre-2009. These materials can be searched at Kennedy Library's catalog..
Primary sources used in this research are found in University Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Kennedy Library, Cal Poly. Some materials from University Archives are digitized, including the student newspaper, the El Rodeo yearbooks, Cal Poly course catalogs, and photos and audiovisual materials.
Submissions from 2018
“We Need a Little More of This” Margaret Chase and Her Career at Cal Poly, Jacob Robin
Football and its Importance at Cal Poly, Kyle Stickler
Cal Poly: A Shift from State Dependence to Donor Dependence over the Course of Three University Presidents, David Vacchio
Cal Poly’s Sexual Revolution, Jasmine Valsaint
Submissions from 2017
The Civil Rights Movement at Cal Poly Compared to Other Universities Across the Nation, Brett Barcellos
Cal Poly Activism: The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant, Alex Butruce
WOW!: A Look at The First Two Years of a Program like No Other, Kristina Carroll
“Sign or Get Out”: Academic Freedom at the University of California and Cal Poly in the McCarthy Era, Cameron J. Coyne
A President’s Influence on Student Activism, Katelyn Frum
Hanging by a Liberal Root: A Study of Cal Poly General Education from 1975 to 2001, Kevin Hegyi
Got Culture? The Lack of Diversity on Cal Poly’s Campus and the Attempts to Raise Cultural Awareness, Alice Jang
Cal Poly Football: A Cornerstone of Student Achievement, Michael Langberg
A Long, Slow March Toward Accessibility: Cal Poly’s Effort to Eliminate Barriers for Physically Disabled Students, Tyler Lopez
How Cal Poly Athletics Maintained Success on the Chopping Block, Jenna Noce
The Heroic Role of Women at Cal Poly, Bryce Owens
Digging Deeper: Uncovering the Aftermath of Kristin Smart’s Disappearance, Kailyn Pope
KCPR: Changes Through the Generations, Claire Ready
The Minds of the Dissidents: Cal Poly Student Unrest during Robert E. Kennedy’s Presidency 1967-1979, Brigette Sadowski
Welcome Back: The Return of Women at Cal Poly, Charlie Williams
Submissions from 2016
Cal Poly's Soccer Campus Image, Vidal Aguilera
Weathering and Withering through the Great Depression: McPhee's Early Years at The California Polytechnic School, Benjamin K. Aster
Student Government: An Investment in Human Potential, Alex O. Budding
Names for Fame, Tamiko L. Cavey