Mustang News May 7, 2019

C A L P O LY S A N LU I S O B I S P O ’ S N E W S S O U R C E

MUSTANG NEWS

BRANDING BACKLASH

STUDENTS CALL FOR A DO-OVER AFTER CAL POLY LAUNCHES FIRST COMPREHENSIVE REBRAND PAGE 5

M AY 7, 2 0 1 9

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MUS TA NGNE WS.NET

CAL POLY ANNOUNCES $700 MILLION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

Austin Linthicum

President & Editor in Chief Quinn Fish Print Managing Editor

Lauren Arendt Social Media Managing Editor

Rachel Marquardt Digital Managing Editor

Rachel Showalter Video Managing Editor

NEWS Cassandra Garibay Editor Ashley Ladin Emily Quesada Isabella Paoletto Hailey Nagma Lauren Kozicki Lauryn Luescher Maureen McNamara Roselyn Romero Sabrina Pascua Samantha Spitz Aidan McGloin

V I D EO Connor McCarthy Chief Anchor Justin Garrido Video Editor Sawyer Milam Sports Video Director Reid Fuhr Sports Video Producer Sydney Brandt Video Producer Kallyn Hobmann Kayla Berenson Jared Smith Emi Powers Intern Lily Dallow Intern

ARTS Emily Merten Editor Sabrina Thompson Michaela Barros Caitlin Scott Grant Anderson Kiana Meagher Sydney Sherman OPINION Olivia Peluso Editor Hanah Wyman Abdullah Sulaiman Yervant Malkhassian Lilly Leif Jaxon Silva SPORTS Brian Truong Editor Francisco Martinez Sophia Crolla Garrett Brown Kylie Smith Sydney Finkel Naythan Bryant Prerna Aneja Kyle Har PHOTO Zachary Donnenfield Editor Carolyne Sysmans Kylie Kowalske Alison Chavez Diego Rivera Connor Frost Kyle Calzia Sofia Clark Luke Deal

THE UNIVERSITY HAS ALREADY RAISED $556 MILLION TO DATE

COPY Amanda Simonich Copy Chief Kelly Martinez Jarod Urrutia D ES I GN Calista Lam Director Michelle Cao Solena Aguilar Julia Jackson-Clark D I V ERS I TY Monique Ejenuko Editor SOCIAL Hanna Crowley Kelsey Luvisa Danielle Lee Candace Lee Kelsey Parmenter PR Alyssa Wilson Dominique Morales Kaitlyn Hoyer Mikaela Lincoln Tess Loarie Intern Christina Arthur Intern S PEC I A L S ECT I O N S Isabel Hughes Editor Ava Fry Sophia Lincoln Lauren Walike Samuel Serra A DV ERT I S I NG DE S IG N Keilani Waxdeck Lauren Marshall Steven Nguyen Von Balanon Kendra Oliver

Bianka Pantoja Advertising Manager

Shea Irwin Advertising Design Manager

BJ Drye Advertising Manager

Jasen Journeycake Distribution Manager

Kylie Goldfarb Advertising Manager

Claire Blachowski PR Director

IN THIS ISSUE

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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LAC EY DAVI S | COU RT ESY

Jeffery Armstrong announced a $700 million campaign at the Evening of Green & Gold.

BY C A SS A N D RA GA RI B AY Cal Poly announced a $700 million fundraising campaign named the Power of Doing at this year’s Evening of Green & Gold, an annual event recognizing the university’s top supporters.

Although the campaign’s public phase was announced Friday, May 3, the university has been working toward this goal for the past seven years, University President Jeffrey Armstrong said.

The university has raised $556 million to date through more than 164,000 gifts from 50,000 different donors, according to Vice President of Development and Cal Poly Foundation CEO Matthew Ewing. The university hopes to reach or exceed $700 million by June 2021.

“The three pillars of the campaign are empowering students, empowering excellence and empowering innovation,” Armstrong said. “So regardless of where we end up with the number, the real key is enhancing student success.”  Armstrong said boosting fundraising was a goal from the beginning when he was hired at Cal Poly in 2011.

Cal Poly was the first California State University to launch a fundraising campaign and concluded its first campaign

in 2004. Although it is typical for private universities to campaign, until more recently, CSU’s relied almost entirely on state funding, Armstrong said.

“The state provided excellent support years ago,” Armstrong said. “[For] many of our alumni, their cost of attendance at Cal Poly was very low. One graduate who finished in the late [1940s] — his net cost was just a few dollars to attend Cal Poly.”

The campaign follows a donor-centered model, meaning the decision is up to donors to select what their gift will fund, according to Ewing. “[When] donors give to something, we want to accomplish their goal,” Ewing said. “If [a donation] comes in, we don’t move it to something that doesn’t align with what their intent was. Now that intent also has to align with the university’s mission.”

The Science and Agriculture Teaching and Research Center — which broke ground the same day as the campaign’s announcement — and renovations of Robert E. Kennedy Library are two of Cal Poly’s capital projects that are priorities for the campaign, Armstrong said.

In addition to buildings, Armstrong said donations from the campaign will help support Cal Poly Scholars. So far, the university has raised about $7 mil-

lion for Cal Poly scholars, not including money from the Opportunity Fee. Of the 300 expected incoming Cal Poly Scholars in Fall 2019, Armstrong said about 80 students will have half or all of their tuition paid for by donors. Northrop Grumman, a military defense contracting company, has been one of the biggest donors to the program, Armstrong said.

In the past, Cal Poly’s acceptance of donations and partnerships with companies such as Northrop Grumman, Boeing and Raytheon has resulted in student protests. Armstrong said that despite protests, the university continues to maintain a great relationship with the companies.

“They provide amazing jobs for our students, and we’re not in the position to make decisions for students, and that’s what it really boils down to,” Armstrong said. “And as I mentioned earlier they’re some of the best supporters.”

Armstrong said the university is confident in their goal and said he hopes they surpass $700 million. “‘Learn by doing’ was born here, and it is always going to thrive here, but it won’t thrive without the donor support,” Armstrong said. “We can’t maintain our excellence, let alone grow it, without the support of these companies, these individuals.”

DING N A R B SH A L K CALB POLY A CBRANDING BACKLASH

COVER

PROFESSOR PROPOSES CHICK-FIL-A CLOSURE

ASI REPLACES SPRING STAMPEDE WITH TWO CONCERTS

SHABANG REBORN

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GET TO KNOW MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH JOHN SMITH

AUSTIN LINTHICUM | MUSTANG NEWS

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PHASE 2 PHASE 1

NEW RENOVATIONS TO TRANSFORM UU AFTER STUDENT FEE FAILED IN 2016, UU WILL BE UPDATED INSTEAD OF REPLACED

BY S A MANT H A S PITZ In Spring 2016, a proposal to completely renovate and expand the University Union (UU) failed. Instead of giving up, Associate Students, Inc. (ASI) decided to reevaluate.

“We took all the feedback and comments we had received in [the 2016] referendum process and thought, ‘How can we make it more of a neighborhood versus two separate buildings?’” agricultural business senior and ASI Chair of UU Advisory Board Danielle Diele said.

This began the start of the UU Neighborhood Project.

ASI and Cal Poly Corporation are partnering to create a similar look and feel amongst the buildings and outdoor area in the UU. They hired architect firm Pfeiffer Partners to develop a complementary design for each space.

“This project by ASI, every design and decision, is run through University Union Advisory Board before it’s acted upon, which consists of one student representative from every college,” Diele said.

“Students have been a part of it every step of the way.”

The Alleyway Renovation

The first phase of the UU Neighborhood Project is expected to start in Summer 2019. This includes renovating the alleyway (outside space between the University Store and the ATMs) and the space outside of Mustang Station.

Diele said the goal of this phase is to add additional space for students to study, socialize and relax. ASI wants to incorporate new lighting, more power outlets, seating, heaters and a built-in counter.

“This way even if it’s nighttime, students can want to be out there because that space and resources are available,” Diele said.

The first phase of renovations are anticipated to be completed in September 2019 before the start of Fall 2020 and will cost $475,000.

These renovations are funded by UU reserves in the UU budget, so student fees will not increase for the renovation.

Chumash Renovation

The second phase of the project includes renovating the interior and exterior of Chumash Auditorium on the second floor of the UU. This

includes not only the inside of the auditorium but also the surrounding lounge area, including the T.V. lounge and the Chandler lounge.

Diele said ASI hopes to enhance its lighting, flooring, staging, sound proofing and technology functions along with updating the lounge space outside the auditorium.

Chumash Auditorium will close in October 2019 with renovations lasting between six to eight months, according to Diele. ASI is hoping to have the space finished

by April 2020, but they will not be taking reservations until June 2020.

“We aren’t taking reservations yet so we don’t disappoint anyone, but if it is done in April then we’ll start taking reservations through the end of the year,” Diele said.

Phase 2 Picture The project is estimated to cost $5 million, which will also be funded

by UU reserves.

“Through essentially best practices for business, we’ve been conservative with our spending, so that we can fund projects like this,” Diele said.

PHASE 2 P F EI F F ER PA RT N ERS | COU RT ESY

Renderings of the new University Union slated to start in Summer 2019.

During the renovations of Chumash Auditorium, the Multi-Activity Center (MAC) in the Recreation Center will be open as a full-time event space for clubs and other groups on campus to use.

Part of the UU Neighborhood Project may also include some changes to the UU space between Starbucks and the new Multicultural Center. There is no set design or start date, but ASI’s long term plan is to repurpose the area as an inviting study space for students.

UU Plaza Renovation

The last phase includes renovating the UU Plaza. These plans will begin after the approval of Dining Complex (building 19) designs.

Building 19 Renovation

Building 19 renovations are headed by Cal Poly Corporation. Currently, this building houses The Avenue, 805 Kitchen and Myron’s — campus’ primary food service and production facility.

Renovations include two modernized food halls with more food options, a market place and a new, fast, casual sit-down restaurant.

Cal Poly Corporation is working to finalize the design plans sometime between October and November 2019. Construction is dependent upon the completion of Vista Grande along with the approval of the design plans, according to Cal Poly Corporation communications specialist Aaron Lambert.

UU Starbucks

Beginning in Summer 2019, Starbucks will undergo renovations to modernize the space and improve wait times and the overall customer experience.

Mustang Station Patio

The final addition includes a project that will revamp Mustang Station’s current outdoor area with more seating, tables, a four-plex video screen and a fireplace.

According to Lambert, the total project budget is $26.8 million — $16 million will come from Cal Poly Corporation facilities reserves and the rest will be funded through system-wide revenue bonds and ASI’s funds. Student fees will not be affected by these renovations.

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

STARBUCKS

TUESDAY • APRIL 23, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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GUEST CHEF TAKEOVER Get ready for the Guest Chef Series!

From May 6 - 10, 805 Kitchen will host a different guest chef each evening at the M.T.O. Action station.

They’ll serve up their signature dishes from 5 – 7 p.m. Enjoy local favorites from Bliss Café and Jewel of India, a celebrity chef from “Top Chef Masters” and much more!

Z AC H DON N EN F I ELD | MUSTA N G N EWS

An Academic Senate member proposed recommending the closure of Chick-Fil-A because of their donations to anti-LGBTQ+ causes.

SPICE UP YOUR FRIYAY! Grab some friends and head up to Canyon Café for an end-ofthe-week celebration packed with Asian flavors. Feast on a spicy watermelon soup as an appetizer, miso and bourbon glazed flank steak as an entrée, and macadamia nut and coconut napoleon as dessert.

#CHOOSEWELL When in doubt, go without!

Most options on campus are customizable, so feel free to ask for a substitute item or “without” an item. This is a simple way to make most options vegan or vegetarian.

SAVE THE DATES! We have loaded potatoes at Campus Market, a Mexicanthemed Cooking in the Canyon, and tacos at yakʔitʸutʸu. And that’s just Tuesday! See what else is happening this week on our Facebook events page.

GET THE DISH DELIVERED HOT TO YOUR INBOX WEEKLY. SUBSCRIBE AT CALPOLYDINING.COM / THEDISH

ACADEMIC SENATE PROPOSES RESOLUTION TO CLOSE CHICK-FIL-A

BY AIDAN MCGLO IN

President Jeffrey Armstrong said an Academic Senate resolution in support of kicking Chick-Fil-A off campus over their support for anti-gay causes represents a “slippery slope.”

“Who decides what values?” Armstrong said. “Who decides what’s bad?

What’s the next topic? What’s the next company? Are we going to expect the [Cal Poly] Corporation to investigate, look at every company? Where do we draw the line? It’s a very slippery slope.”

Armstrong spoke at the April 30 Academic Senate meeting discussing whether or not the university should terminate their Chick-Fil-A contract because of donations to anti-LGBTQ+ groups.

Some members of the Academic Senate said a line should be drawn at working with companies who contrast with campus values. Physics professor Thomas Gutierrez, who wrote a resolution to tell the Cal Poly Corporation to terminate the Chick-Fil-A contract, said he believes Chick-Fil-A’s corporate values run contrary to Cal Poly’s values.

The proposed resolution would not terminate the contract itself, only recommend Cal Poly Corporation do so, because the franchise is out of the Academic Senate’s jurisdiction.

“We are under no obligation to do business with or provide a store front to all viewpoints. By financially benefiting from and contributing to organizations that passively or directly promote intolerance, we too are promoting intolerance,” Gutierrez said.

The resolution was not voted on and will return at the Academic Senate meeting May 7 and possibly May 21.

Chick-Fil-A did not immediately respond to an email for comment.

News website ThinkProgress reported

Chick-Fil-A donated $1.6 million in 2017 to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for summer camps, an organization which bars its employees from homosexual acts. They also donated $6,000 to Paul Anderson Youth Homes, a residential home for teens that teaches same-sex marriage is “rage against Jesus Christ,” according to ThinkProgress.

Chick-Fil-A donated $10.8 million dollars total in 2017.

The Cal Poly Chick-Fil-A recently received an award for reaching $2 million in sales in 2018. Cal Poly’s Chick-Fil-A was one of the top 52 sales-generating locations out of 362 nationwide.

“Sure, they make a delicious sandwich, but their corporate values are ugly and retrograde,” Orfalea College of Business Librarian Mark Bieraugel said at the Academic Senate meeting. “Every time I walk up from the library to the [University Union], I know Chick-Fil-A is there.

And I know Cal Poly is endorsing their hate against me as a person.”

Other members of the LGBTQ+ community on campus also see the franchise as Cal Poly’s lack of support for their community, Bieraugel said.

Armstrong said students can go to the Board of Trustees or boycott Chick-Fil-A but that he did not feel comfortable deciding to terminate the contract for another food option.

“Cal Poly is a public university,” Armstrong said. “We are a branch of state government, and that places certain limits on what we can do.”

California law already prohibits state money from paying for travel to states that discriminate on sexual orientation.

“California must take action to avoid supporting or financing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people,” California Gov. Code, § 11139.8, subd. (a)(5) reads.

S OF I A C LA R K | MUSTA N G N EWS

The visitor center officially opened in the yakʔitʸutʸu housing community on April 30, the same day as Cal Poly previewed the new university brand.

BY S E RE N A LO PE Z

The project was unveiled at a display on Mott Lawn on Tuesday, April 30.

BRANDING BACKLASH CAL POLY UNVEILS NEW BRAND, BUT NOT ALL ARE IN SUPPORT

BY CHRISTINA ARTHUR & J ESSI CA GIL L IS

Cal Poly debuted their reimagined brand after a year-long development effort, redefining Learn by Doing with a new logo, extended color palette and brand narrative.

But not all students are on board.

While the iconic “Learn by Doing” tagline remains, University Marketing said the refreshed brand more clearly articulates Cal Poly’s past, present and future, while emphasizing the readiness of graduates to make an impact on the world.

A new shield in the logo features elements that pay tribute to the campus’ unique location, with a quill and hammer meant to represent learning and doing.

“Learn by Doing means something different to everyone,” University President Jeffrey Armstrong said. “We want to be able to explain it to someone who doesn’t know us.”

Cal Poly partnered with higher education marketing firm SimpsonScarborough for the $340,000 project. The new institutional brand is rooted in research, with 40 focus groups, thousands of surveys and extensive creative testing, according to University Marketing Senior Storyteller Robyn Konta Tanner.

The project was unveiled at a display on Mott Lawn on Tuesday, April 30. A day after the brand was announced, biological sciences senior Drake Murphy created a petition on Change.org to “stop the rebrand,” accumulating almost 5,000 online signatures in 24 hours.

Murphy said he started the survey because of the cost and because Cal Poly students or alumni did not design it, despite the refreshed brand’s focus on “Learn

by Doing.”

“It is the amount of money and the rationale behind a rebrand,” Murphy said. “The older logo was kind of complex. It showed the academic diversity that we have here at Cal Poly … it is not just a hammer and a quill.”

University Spokesperson Matt Lazier said anytime there is a change, they expect some people will be opposed.

“The university is proud of the work that has gone into this branding initiative and proud of

the results,” Lazier wrote in an email to Mustang News.

The rebrand was strategically aligned with the university’s largest fundraising campaign.

“We wanted to give Cal Poly the platform to ground some really big leaps forward,” Tanner said.

“And a strong brand is really the foundation for these steps.”

According to Armstrong, there has never been a comprehensive, data-driven rebrand like this in the history of Cal Poly.

“It was really the best of the best that was brought together to form this,” Armstrong said.

Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Jasmin Fashami said a number of students from student government sat in on some of the branding committees to give feedback and share students’ perspectives.

Elements of the brand, such as new banners on Mustang Way, will begin to roll out as the year ends. The official launch is set for Fall 2019.

Cal Poly’s prior shield was introduced in 2015.

The grand opening of the new Cal Poly Welcome Center, the first place prospective students and visitors are introduced to the university, was held Tuesday, April 30.

The 3,200-foot space, located in the yakʔitʸutʸu housing community on Grand Avenue, will be the “front door” for the more than 50,000 official visitors the university hosts every year, according to University President Jeffrey Armstrong.

Visitors will now start their tour in a 142-seat auditorium to show prospective students “what Cal Poly is all about,” according to Vice Provost for Enrollment Development and Chief Marketing Officer James Maraviglia.

“The rest of the world doesn’t know [Learn by Doing] like we know it,” Maraviglia said. “This is an opportunity to showcase that for you, first and foremost.”

Cal Poly launched their new institutional branding, redefining “Learn by Doing” with a new logo, brand narrative and colors, along with the opening of the visitor center. The new look can be seen in graphic displays around the room.

The vision for the center developed almost 30 years ago, but it was not until President Armstrong and his team came along that the vision turned into a project.

“I initially brought the idea forward 28 years ago,” Maraviglia said. “This administration bought into it right away. [President Armstrong] started looking for opportunities to actually roll something like this out.”

The center is expected to bring in more visitors and help prospective students make the decision to study at Cal Poly.

“We think it’s going to make it even more effective and efficient for people to visit,” Armstrong said. “We expect that we will have even more visitors in the future.”

Armstrong also said the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport had its highest record quarter ever and that the expansion of flights will only help Cal Poly bring more people in.

“We want to bring in more students from out of state,” Armstrong said. “Those students will pay a bit more, and it will provide more scholarships for high-achieving economically, disadvantaged students in California.”

S OF I A C LA R K | MUSTA N G N EWS

The 3,200-foot space, located in the yakʔitʸutʸu housing community.

5 TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

CAL POLY UNVEILS FIRST WELCOME CENTER

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

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DI EGO R I VERA | MUSTA N G N EWS

The Olympic lap pool is slated to be renovated every 10 to 20 years.

KYL I E KOWA LS K E | MUSTA N G N EWS

Business students are hosting a beer festival and donating the proceeds to the Wood’s Humane Society on June 2.

BARKS & BREWS

tive to the project so it was really great to hear their points of view,” Taylor said. “There’s been several ideas they’ve had that I don’t think any of the breweries on our own would have had, and that is what it is about. It’s about tapping into the knowledge of the students for our mutual benefit.”

Business administration junior wait for their forever families,” Meghan Butler, who is leading the Hess said. “We know that adopt- project and is in charge of the soing an animal not only chang- cial media accounts, said she enes its life, but also the life of the joys interacting with brewers and owner for the better. The Woods promoting their businesses.

Humane Society is an amazing “I love getting to hear the breworganization and we are proud to ers’ stories of why they started support them.” brewing and what really differenHess introduced the project tiates their brewery from some of in Winter 2018 to a marketing the larger ones in [San Luis Obisproject class. In Spring 2019, he po] County and really just getting offered the idea up as a senior to interact with them and create project Spring 2019, and business content on our social media to administration senior Ralaina help share their story,” Butler LiDrazzah accepted the chal- said. lenge, along with other students.

Taylor said the festival is unique The group has been working since because the brewers and customJanuary to plan, promote and co- ers will have the opportunity to ordinate with the breweries. try small breweries in one place.

“It was a lot of work getting in “Sometimes when you go to big contact with all of the breweries beer festivals, there are volunand getting everyone to cooperate teers that are hired to pour the with one another, but overall, I beer, but at this beer festival, it think this quarter [the breweries] will be the actual brewers that have progressed a lot more and make the beer that will be there,” been a lot more on board with Taylor said. “The people attendit,” LiDrazzah said. “Now, it’s ing will have the chance to talk just getting everything together, to all the brewers about how the the activities, the Snapchat filters beer is made.” we want, promoting it at farmers Tickets for the Small Batch market and stuff like that.”

Brewers Festival held at Hacienda Brewer for 7Sisters Brewing Co. Antigua are on sale now for $40. and Cal Poly biological sciences All proceeds will go to Woods Huprofessor Emily Taylor said she mane Society. has enjoyed the fresh perspective “These are all gems of [San Luis that these students bring to the ta- Obispo] County, each and every ble. The students have been work- one of these breweries, and they ing on utilizing social media, find- are all coming to one place, so it ing influencers and reaching out is kind of a once-a-year kind of to local restaurants for donations. thing that is really unique,” But“They bring a useful perspec- ler said.

CAL POLY BUSINESS MARKETING STUDENTS HOST BEER FESTIVAL FUNDRAISER

BY LAURY N LU ESCHER Cal Poly business marketing students are working to create a beer fest dedicated to animals in need of homes.

On June 2, about 15 marketing students and 7Sisters Brewing Company Manager and marketing professor Jeff Hess will host the San Luis Obispo County Small Batch Brewers Festival.

The festival will highlight eight local breweries — 7Sisters Brewing Co., Bang the Drum Brewery, Bittersweet Brewing Co., Dead Oak Brewing Co., Earth and Fire

Brewing Co., Kilokilo Brewing Co., ManRock Brewing Co, Three Stacks and a Rock Brewing Co. and the San Luis Obispo Brewers.

All of the event proceeds will go to local animal shelter Woods Humane Society.

Hess said they chose Woods Humane Society because it is non-profit, privately funded and dedicated to the humane care and treatment of animals on the Central Coast.

“The group chose to partner with Woods Humane Society because we relate to their mission to nurture homeless pets as they

KY LI E KO WALS KE | MUSTANG NEW S

Students hosted a booth at Farmer’s Market to promote their beer festival.

REC CENTER LAP POOL CLOSING FOR THE SUMMER RENOVATIONS TO COST $1.2 MILLION

BY T E SS A TO O M AN Summer renovations are set for Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) to re-plaster and re-tile the Recreation Center’s lap pool, as well as add an American Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramp and make deck improvements.

The pool must be re-plastered every 10 to 20 years to maintain a safe and reliable swimming environment, according to ASI Director of Facilities Management Ron Skamfer.

“This was built in 1993, and our plaster job has lasted about 15 years,” Skamfer said. “There will be no design change, and the pool itself will not change in any significant way.”

The projected timeline for the lap pool renovations is from June 1–Sept. 2. The budget of this project is $1.2 million, funded by ASI capital improvement reserves.

The pool will be closed during construction, but ASI will add dedicated lap lanes and extended hours to accommodate swimmers.

In addition, the Anderson Aquatic Center pool, normally used by the Swimming and Diving team, will be open for gym members to use during available hours.

DI EGO R I VERA | MUSTA N G N EWS

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S OFIA C LARK | MUSTANG NEW S

In 2015, Collins co-founded the Cal Poly Drag Club alongside now-alumnus Rotem Drori.

LEAVING A REGAL LEGACY HOW THE FIRST DRAG CLUB ON CAMPUS STARTED FROM SCRATCH

BY KA I L E Y O’CONNEL L Donning a blonde wig, a form-fitting orange dress and six-inch heels, Jordan Collins prepared to step into the spotlight one last time.

At the tail end of their five-hour transformation process, the microbiology senior spritzed their blond curls with hairspray and checked themself in a mirror backstage of Chumash Auditorium. Soon, Collins would no longer be Collins — but Regina Flores, their drag queen alter ego.

“Putting on drag, you feel like you have a mask on, or a super suit on, and you can do anything,” Collins said. “You just feel invincible.”

In 2015, Collins co-founded the Cal Poly Drag Club alongside now-alumnus Rotem Drori. As a freshman who identified as genderqueer, Collins wanted to create a new platform on campus for students to freely express their gender identities.

“I really needed some sort of outlet to express my more feminine side,” Collins said. “I feel like I couldn’t really do that just walking around through society.”

Over four years, Collins has carefully crafted the persona of Regina Flores — “Regina” meaning “queen” in Latin, and “Flores” meaning “flowers” in Spanish. Collins said they crowned themself Queen of the Flowers due to their appreciation for botany and nature.

Collins highlights Regina’s femininity not only with dramatic eyeshadow and fake locks, but also with body pads to accentuate their hips and create a curvy figure. Each article of clothing and each stroke of makeup, Collins said, is an intentional artistic choice.

“I think Regina is not a different persona than I am,” Collins said. “I think it’s just a heightened persona of what I am, and a little less inhibited by social pressures.”

Collins’ desire to express a feminine side was nothing new. Growing up, they participated in girl-dominated activities, such as playing with Barbie

dolls. Collins realized they identified as gay in high school but suppressed any hint of femininity to blend in with their straight male counterparts.

“I’m very adaptable in social situations, and I’m good at code-switching, so I was really good at lying for a lot of years about being gay,” Collins said.

“That was just not fun to harbor.”

Collins later came out as gay in high school but said they still struggled to differentiate between sexual orientation and gender orientation going into college. As a freshman at Cal Poly, Collins said they often played dress up, trying on their friends’ skirts and bras.

Until performing in drag for the first time, Collins said they thought they were transgender.

“After experiencing drag I realized, ‘Wait, no, my body is fine and I’m happy with my body,’” Collins said.

“It’s really just about how I want to express myself.”

Now, Collins performs not only with the Cal Poly Drag Club but also with SLOQueerdos, a local company that also hosts drag shows.

The last Cal Poly Drag Club show of the year, themed “Intergalactic Gays,” took place April 17 in Chumash Auditorium. Collins co-hosted the show alongside biological sciences junior Bethany Porta, who uses the drag name Kingdom. The two introduced

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS, INC.

asi.calpoly.edu

each performance, from lip-syncing to dancing, and also hosted interactive games involving crowd members.

Attendees competed in queer history trivia for prizes such as Boo Boo Records gift cards and movie tickets and competed in a dance-off to the tune of Abba’s “Dancing Queen.”

“Me being able to do that and perform on stage in front of hundreds of people, with most of them other queer individuals — my confidence really transfers,” Collins said. “I think my confidence wears off on people and allows others to be themselves in a safe space.”

At the end of the show, Collins said they were grateful for the Pride Center and the Drag Club for offering a sense of community for so many students.

“It’s been a long, hard journey and lot of self-introspection,” Collins said to the audience. “But it’s been such an amazing experience to watch this community grow and flourish into what it is today.”

Collins said they hope to return to perform at Cal Poly after graduating.

“I made Cal Poly history,” Collins said. “I didn’t create the drag community, but I definitely helped pave the way for it to expand and for more people to come out of the woodwork. I think that’s very rewarding.”

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

S OF I A C LA R K | MUSTA N G N EWS

Collins created Cal Poly Drag Club to help students freely express gender identity.

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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SHABANG REBORN

WITH MORE STAGES AND MUSIC, THIS WAS THE BIGGEST SHABANG TO DATE

BY GRANT AN DERSON San Luis Obispo’s local music festival, Shabang, reimagined the live experience May 4 at Laguna Lake Park, building three stages and adding more up-and-coming artists and bands to their lineup.

The desire to grow and improve has been a continual impetus for the Shabang team, headed by founders Alexander Schwend, Carson Stone and Greg Golf, and not even distance can weary the passion they have built for the festival.

In fact, there are even team members who live outside of the state, and most of them balance full-time jobs alongside their Shabang commitments.

Golf, who serves as marketing director and volunteer coordinator, kept in touch with the team through video chats as he balanced his job as a summer camp director in Austin.

Golf works Monday through Friday and spends anywhere from two

to three hours after work to coordinate the festival. While it is not an easy task, Golf said he believes the end result is worth it.

“Having people come up to me and tell me that this has been part of their college experience … there is no better feeling than being able to give that to others,” Golf said.

There have been 12 Shabangs since the festival’s early days on Cuesta Ridge, and the team hopes to continue making the experience something concert-goers want to return to.

Adding another stage to make three in total was a new development which gave people more freedom to decide their own listening experience. There was house and techno music at the Funk Safari, headliners like Sure Sure, Bane’s World, and Cherry Glazerr on the Laguna Lake stage, and local bands on the Cuesta Ridge stage.

Local band The Bogeys had five other musicians performing alongside them on Cuesta Ridge stage

— a trumpeter, two female singers, a keyboardist, and a conga player — all playing extended jams of original hits and classic rock favorites like the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.”

Once night hit, there were lasers and multi-colored spotlights shining through fog machine clouds at the Funk Safari. D Js like Kridder and Will Clarke took to their turntables on top of a seasoned Burning Man school bus known as the Janky Barge.

While ticket prices were increased from last Shabang, Sponsorship Director Carson Stone said he believes it is all with the best of intentions.

“Not trying to rip people off, just basically trying to provide the best experience for people,” Stone said.

“The value of the event is worth more than what people pay.”

Those who aspire to put this same amount of time and effort into launching their own festival should hear Building and Infrastructure

Manager Schwend’s words of advice: “[Have] the desire to put something together, really ... anything you can share with people and create an experience,” Schwend said.

“It takes a lot of time and effort and the short run feels like a lot, but in the long haul it’s worth it — so, just the dedication.”

For concert-goer James Alexandercrocitto, Shabang is an event he is willing to travel from Reno, Nevada to see.

“I’m here because of [my friends]; I love to be here and I’ll be here for years to come,” Alexandercrocitto said.

For some, Shabang also has the ability to spark romance, as in the case of civil engineering junior Eleni Korogianos and her boyfriend Jaxon Stuhr.

“I think Shabang was the first place we started actually hanging out,” Korogianos said. “I was taking photos and I found him and was like, ‘You need a profile picture.’”

The rest is history, and for Shabang Reborn, it is another wrap in the books. Still, springtime always comes again.

1. Indie pop band Sure Sure was formed in 2014 in East Los Angeles.

DIEGO RIVERA 2. Lead vocalist Brad Johnson belts out one of Golfdad’s signature songs. KYLE CALZIA 3. Sure Sure took the stage at 6:30 p.m. for their set.

ALISON CHAVEZ 4. Golfdads performed in front of a lively Shabang audience.

KYLE CALZIA 5. ALISON CHAVEZ 6. Bane’s World, headed by Shane Blanchard, was formed in Long Beach. DIEGO RIVERA 7. San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon gave a talk about climate change in the “University” festival tent. ZACH DONNENFIELD 8. Banes World performs under the stage lights. KYLE CALZIA 9.

ALISON CHAVEZ 10. ALISON CHAVEZ 11.

Local band golfdads, which is comprised of Cal Poly students, performed a set. DIEGO RIVERA 12. Shabang added more stages to Laguna Lake Park than the festival has seen in past years.

KYLE CALZIA

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | ARTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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11 10 7

5

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Scott Glysson, conductor

REGISTER NOW GE

T

D WITH SUMMER CLA A E SS AH

ES !

Paul Woodring, organ

A CONCERT OF WORKS IN THE REQUIEM TRADITION The spectacular and rarely performed “Musikalische Exequien” (“Funeral Music”) composed by Heinrich Schütz in 1636; and John Rutter’s “Requiem” composed in 1985, with a seven-piece chamber orchestra of Cal Poly students and professionals.

Several members of the choir will perform in Carnegie Hall on May 25!

MAY 11, 2019, 8 P.M. SATURDAY MISSION SAN LUIS OBISPO Choose a summer session:

5

weeks 6/24–7/26 7/29–8/30

8

weeks 6/24–8/16

summer.calpoly.edu

10

weeks 6/24–8/30

$9 students, $14 general: tickets.calpoly.edu, 805-756-4849 For more information, call the Music Department, 805-756-2406 or visit music.calpoly.edu/calendar.

FRESHMEN COMPETE IN ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN VILLAGE

Deals of the Week

AL IS ON C HAVEZ | MUSTANG NEW S

The competition is held every spring in Poly Canyon Design Village, known as “Architecture Graveyard.”

S O F I A C LA R K | M USTA NG NE WS

BY P RI YA S OD LAP UR Dozens of students sprawled out across the courtyard adjusting structures with wires that extended more than 6 feet tall, pieces of wood and metal rods welded together. However, the first thing a stranger would notice is the strong waft of garlic the structures were emitting.

Using recycled material from garlic containers is just one of the ways Cal Poly students fused sustainability into their designs for this year’s Architecture Design Village competition.

“Some things are already in their second life.

Like these are what your garlic powder came in — yeah, you can really smell the garlic,” architecture professor Emily White said.

The competition is held every spring in Poly Canyon Design Village, more commonly known as “Architecture Graveyard,” and offers architecture and architectural engineering freshmen a chance to design and construct structures that align with a specific theme — this year’s theme being “Synthesis.”

Every team was challenged to create a struc-

ture that encourages designs that integrate into the natural environment, and appeals to one of the five senses, with an emphasis on sustainable design phases, according to a Cal Poly press release.

“For our students it’s about the ‘synthesis’ of ideas of form, material and space,” White said.

But “synthesis” is not the only theme driving these projects; sustainability is actually a large component of these designs.

“Everything you see here will have a second life either in future studio projects or then some of the projects will go to a live local music festival, and some of them will be repurposed for next year,” White said.

Not only does each project have a plan for reuse, but some of the materials already have another use. For example, the teams are using massive cardboard containers that once held garlic powder. The teams also used thinner wood planks and thinner rods to minimize the amount of material used in each structure.

“We approach sustainability in both the quantity of material used in its embodied energy and also it must have a plan for its second and third and fourth lives beyond,” White said.

Each studio class went about beginning the design process in different ways. For architecture freshman Annabella Che, her studio focused on brainstorming different design ideas rather than immediately forming teams.

“We were given time to experiment with different shapes, and we were actually assigned specific shapes that would be created with tension and fabric,” Che said.

From there, design ideas were pitched and groups were formed around the three best design ideas. According to White, after the initial sketches and designs, the teams each built models that were approximately one-twelfth of the real structures’ size.

“Design Village introduces first-year students to making things at large scale by working with both hand and mind,” Dale Clifford, a Cal Poly architecture faculty member, said in a press release. “Really, Design Village is about knowledge building through design consensus as each team is composed of a diverse student population.

According to White, in the past the project has lasted anywhere from one to three weeks. This year’s project was the first to last four weeks.

After designing, experimenting and building their structures, the students still had the task of transporting all of their materials up to the Architecture Graveyard — by foot. On Friday, April 26, each team gathered their design materials and hiked up to rebuild their designs.

The teams left at different times throughout the day and spent anywhere from half a day to the whole day putting their designs together.

“The late nights were kinda rough, but that’s the best part,” architecture freshman Jordan Brook said. “And actually seeing it from a com-

puter model, to a mini model, and now it’s this giant real-life thing.”

Part of the designing process involved creating structures they could carry on the hike up Poly Canyon Road either on their backs or by attaching wheels to their designs. Che’s group used bags to carry the smaller pieces of their structure and even strapped some larger pieces across their shoulders for more support.

After a day of reconstructing their designs, the students spent Friday night playing card games, watching movies that they projected on a portable screen, and camping with their teammates under their structures.

For both Jordan and Che, it was the collaboration of their teams and actually bringing their three-dimensional designs to life that made the project so worthwhile.

“It was really nice to be able to set it up and be able to be like, wow, this is something we put together as a group,” Che said. “And now we have an actual structure, standing up, that we can live in for a weekend.”

PUZZLES

CLUES ACROSS

ARIES – March 21/April 20 Reconciliation is important, Aries. That’s especially so if you know you have been in the wrong. Others will respect you much more for your ability to make up and move on.

LIBRA – Sept. 23/Oct. 23 Creative things catch your eye this week, Libra. Make it a point to stroll through an art gallery or catch a foreign film. Your appreciation for the arts will only grow.

TAURUS – April 21/May 21 It’s time to showcase all of your talents to an authority figure who can push you toward success, Taurus. All you need is a little reinforcement.

SCORPIO – Oct. 24/Nov. 22 Calling your own shots is perfect for you. The idea of working independently is very attractive to you this week. Give it some thought.

GEMINI – May 22/June 21 Fresh experiences are on the way, and you are craving an opportunity to broaden your horizons, Gemini. Sign up for classes or get a new hobby to open your eyes to new things.

SAGITTARIUS – Nov. 23/Dec. 21 Hobbies and leisure time activities with friends will provide a welcome break from work, Sagittarius. Use these opportunities to reconnect with people you care about.

CANCER – June 22/July 22 Sharing deep feelings with others can be healing, Cancer. Just be sure to choose your confidantes wisely, as the right mentor can make all the difference.

CAPRICORN – Dec. 22/Jan. 20 Capricorn, you are considering a financial undertaking that takes you out of your comfort zone. Don’t hesitate, as there’s no reward without a little risk.

LEO – July 23/Aug. 23 Spending quality time with a particular person who is close to you will brighten your week, Leo. It’s just the change of pace you need to put a smile on your face.

AQUARIUS – Jan. 21/Feb. 18 Speaking your mind is par for the course, as Aquarians tend to be opinionated. You have the ability to win over others without making them feel pressured in any way.

VIRGO – Aug. 24/Sept. 22 You are more than willing to take on extra work that needs to be done to get a project completed, Virgo. Your team-first attitude is not going unnoticed or unappreciated.

PISCES – Feb. 19/March 20 Enjoy a few hours of hibernation this week, Pisces. Expect to feel recharged in no time.

Relaxation for two also can fit the bill.

1. Type of fruit 5. Unit of time 9. Oil company 11. Benson’s “partner” 13. Fictional mob boss Tony 15. Visual record 16. Small constellation 17. Popular family TV series 19. Tough outer layer 21. Cut 22. Vietnamese offensive 23. Horizontal mine passage 25. Greek war god 26. Have already done 27. Six (Spanish) 29. Remarks for the audience 31. Relaxing spots 33. Prevent from seeing 34. Disguised 36. Comedian Rogen 38. Afflict in mind or body 39. Sour 41. People native to N. Mexico 43. No seats available 44. Ned __, composer 46. A fit of irritation 48. Ability to move objects mentally 52. Luke’s mentor __-Wan 53. Herbal medicine ingredient 54. Oscar-winning director Bigelow 56. Likes 57. In a sound way 58. Part of a staircase 59. Exemptions from play

CLUES DOWN

1. How will it play in __?

2. Grows 3. Swiss river 4. Canadian flyers 5. Affirmative! (slang) 6. Root of taro plant 7. Large, long-legged rodents 8. Recycled 9. Pre-1917 emperor of Russia 10. Sometimes it’s on you 11. Contrary beliefs 12. Remain as is 14. Spicy stew __ podrida 15. Play time 18. Italian monetary unit 20. Type of fuel 24. Portable conical tent 26. Yazoo and Mississippi are two 28. What people earn 30. Insect repellent 32. After first 34. Plays the viola 35. Not good 37. Esteemed guest 38. Where rockers ply their trade 40. Office furniture 42. Ancient Greek oracles 43. Quantitative fact 45. Missing soldiers 47. Minute 49. This (Spanish) 50. Maintain possession of 51. Knife 55. What to say on New Year’s Day (abbr.)

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SATIRE | THE HOOF

OPINION

SEVEN WAYS TO INTERPRET THE NEW CAL POLY LOGO

IT’S TIME FOR ADMINISTRATION TO SWALLOW THEIR PRIDE

2. The Campus is Going for that “Medieval” Look

BY H A NNAH BENS ON Hannah Benson is a journalism junior and opinion columnist. The views represented do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

The recent unveiling of the rebranded Cal Poly logo has sparked debate across the student body, with the same question asked repeatedly: “But why?” The answer to that question is really only one of the following seven options.

1. Marvel is the School’s Newest Sponsor

*Spoiler Alert!* Marvel’s latest film, “Avengers: Endgame,” is making a lot of money. Marvel also has a rich dad (Walt Disney), who wants to create more revenue through an advertising partnership with the school. The decisive choice of Thor and Falcon as school mascots came after a couple of school administrators admitted a fear of spiders.

The “Learn by Doing” coat of arms pairs nicely with the remodeling of the campus. The blueprints for “Baker Castle” are in the final stages of approval.

Musty will be knighted on May 25 at midnight. Any building without the name “engineering” or “science” will be subject to moat property.

3. Cal Poly found a rare bird and also a hammer near Bishop peak Last Tuesday, biological sciences students — a.k.a. scientists — discovered an unknown species of bird amongst the rocky terrain of Bishop’s peak. The bird is described as having “unique markings” and “cool feathers.”

It flew away before more notes were documented. Attempting to chase the bird, one student tripped over a lone hammer. No bird, but at least the school has a rusty old hammer now!

4. The School is Undercover

Due to an undisclosed event (probably has to do with Musty), Cal Poly is incognito indefinitely.

The administration hired “our very best” (probably Musty) to create a masterful disguise. They

not only created a new design in a more rounded shield — they took the “Cal Poly” font and bolded it.

No one will ever know.

5. Communism?

Cal Poly decided to make the rebranding part of some political agenda. It might cause a bit of controversy, though the backlash will be nothing compared to putting an elephant or donkey on the logo.

6. Cal Poly Recently Broke Up with Someone

Cal Poly worked hard to establish healthy communication and plan creative date nights. However, post-honeymoon phase, the relationship started to feel one-sided.

The break-up was inevitable, but feelings don’t just go away overnight. To cope, Cal Poly got the university equivalent of bangs.

7. Idioms The university is honoring the two idioms that truly capture the Mustang experience: “Birds of a feather flock together,” and “Let’s get hammered!!!!!!”

No pressure, but there is one right answer, and this is 60 percent of your grade. Choose wisely.

BY A RC HI E M ITC H E L L Archie Mitchell is a business administration senior and general manager of KCPR. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News.

We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve committed to something by spending either a lot of time or money on it, and it’s turned out to be disastrous. If you buy a bad burger, you don’t eat the burger. If you buy a dress that doesn’t fit, you don’t wear it. If you pay $340,000 for a new logo, and it comes out looking like the logo for an online community college, you really really don’t have to use the new logo.

In fact, the only thing worse than paying $340,000 for a logo that looks like it was downloaded from freelogodesign.org would be deciding to use it. When I saw the thing standing alone, I was miffed. What was it? Is this really what students wanted? Then I remembered our old logo, and a tear began to form.

The logo of Discere Fasciendo and 11101101101. Yes, nobody at Cal Poly speaks Latin or can read binary code, but the old logo exuded class. The atom stood across from the hay and the lettering stood tall.

The green contrasted the gold and the crest showed the strength of our polytechnic institution. Our logo didn’t need “learn by doing” stapled on its head, and it certainly didn’t need an outside agency paid $340,000 to do it.

This new logo doesn’t embrace but rather ignores the hands-on experience of our business students, the creative capacity of our graphic designers and the desire to give back to the Cal Poly community that burns within each and every subscriber to The Mustang Way. The thickened typeface sits dumbly beside the setting sun – not reminding us of the plethora of academic opportunities available to Cal Poly’s students, but selling us short as a university good for its access to the outdoors. The monotonous green gently encourages viewers not to waste their time devoting attention to the artwork.

The entire project reeks of this administration’s lack of any real desire for student input and lack of faith in the Learn By Doing motto.

It begs the question, who thought this was a good idea and can we take a step back to think? Over 3,000 have signed a petition calling to halt the rebrand, and I’ve yet to hear a voice in favor of it other than the predictably incoherent booms of President Jeffrey Armstrong, whose vocabulary is limited to the terms “Go Mustangs,” “Cal Poly,” and “Learn

By Doing.”

So, we are left with a choice: Go ahead with the new brand and pretend we don’t hate it, covering our tracks with administrative babble about it being some kind of step in the right direction, or swallow our pride and think about what truly reflects the experience of Cal Poly students, our logo or Simpson Scarborough’s $340,000 digital turd.

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | NEWS | MUSTANG NEWS

J U LI A J AC KS ON - C LA R K | MUSTA N G N EWS

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

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FINDING THE RIGHT MINDSET ENDENTIO. FERIO VOLORATAM NONSENI SCILLAB ORI

BY F RANC IS CO MARTIN EZ For the last month, Men’s Basketball head coach John Smith has been trying to wake up with the right mindset.

At least, that is what the book he has been reading, Waking Up With the Right Mindset by Ivory Hunter, has been challenging the new head coach to accomplish.

“You’ve got to stay positive to make a positive impact with people on a daily basis,” Smith said.

“If you’re consumed with all the adversity or the negative things that are going in your life, the energy will come off negative.”

Smith is using the book, among other things, to set the tone for team workouts and build chemistry for the upcoming season.

Smith, who was introduced as Men’s Basketball’s new head coach on March 28, said figuring out how players want to be pushed and motivated has been his primary focus in bringing the best out of his team.

“You can’t do that, coming in right away and just slapping the hammer down,” Smith said. “You have to get to know people.”

While getting to know his team is one thing, Smith comes in know-

ing the Big West Conference, serving as an associate head coach for six seasons at Cal State Fullerton from 2013-19. Smith’s familiarity with the Big West Conference was one of the factors in his hiring by Athletics Director Don Oberhelman, according to Smith.

“After a lengthy search process, Coach Smith revealed himself as an outstanding fit for our university and our athletic department,” Oberhelman said in a March 28 press release about his hiring.

“His coaching and teaching experience, commitment to academic excellence, and desire to lead and mentor young men have made him the clear choice for Cal Poly.”

In his final three seasons with the Titans, Smith coached the team to three consecutive post-season berths from 2017-19, including an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2018.

“To get to the NCAA Tournament, it takes only one team to win the Big West Conference Tournament, and the last eight years we’ve had a different champion,” Smith said. “So the opportunity to win in this conference is immediate, but you have to know this conference to win it.”

Smith is now tasked with re-

building a Mustang program that finished 6-23 last season and went 2-14 in Big West action. However, he is no stranger to rebuilding programs. Smith rebuilt San Bernardino Valley College’s program and took them to the California Community College Athletic Association semifinals in 2003. Later, Smith rebuilt Riverside City College’s program and coached them to a state championship in 2009 in his fourth year as coach there.

“I’m excited about building programs,” Smith said. “ That’s what I love to do. From a basketball standpoint, that’s what I’m most excited about.”

Rebuilding Cal Poly’s program includes implementing a new vision for the team. Smith said his direction for the program includes an emphasis on defensive techniques, adaptability on both offense and defense and a faster pace of play.

In the 2018-19 season, Cal Poly’s

adjusted tempo rate — used to indicate how fast a team plays — was 66.2 possessions per 40 minutes and ranked No. 255 nationally out of 353 programs under previous head coach Joe Callero, according to KenPom. Cal State Fullerton had an adjusted tempo rate of 69.9 possessions per 40 minutes and was No. 72 in the nation.

“The main thing is changing the narrative of what people feel about Cal Poly Men’s Basketball, starting with ourselves,” Smith said. “Once we get it all in place, and the piece is in place, then hopefully, day-by-day, game-bygame, it will impose its will on our opponents.”

To help impose Cal Poly’s will on its opponents will be incoming guard Colby Rogers. The 6-foot-5 Covington, Georgia native played his senior season at nationally ranked Roselle Catholic High School in Roselle, New Jersey.

There, he averaged 12.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists en route to a 28-4 record and a No. 17 finish in USA Today’s Super 25 poll.

“Colby is a kid that can stretch the floor,” Smith said. “He has great length. He can defend multiple positions, so he gives us more flexibility at the wing position.”

Getting the pieces in place, Rogers included, requires Smith to build the cohesive unit Cal Poly needs. And thoughts from Hunter’s Waking Up With the Right Mindset, combined with Smith’s own experiences, play a key role in building team spirits with the head coach’s daily thoughts before practice.

“The thought today was ‘10 strong horses can pull a baby carriage, [but you] can’t pull a baby carriage independently of each other,’” Smith said. “You can be as talented as you want, but if you work independently of each other, you’re not going anywhere.”

FOOTBALL’S JOE PROTHEROE TAKES PART IN 49ERS ROOKIE MINICAMP Former Cal Poly Football fulback Joe Protheroe is participating in the San Francisco 49ers Rookie Minicamp from May 3-5 in Santa Clara for a chance to participate in the team’s training camp this summer.

“The NFL experience ... everyone out here works hard, just like [everyone] did at Cal Poly,” Protheroe said after a practice session Friday. “Here, you’re being watched for everything so you just gotta make sure ... everything’s good.”

Protheroe was invited as an undrafted free agent and is looking to make the 90-man training camp roster.

“It stung for sure, I was hurt,” Protheroe said of going undrafted and unsigned after the 2019 NFL Draft. “But at the same time, get-

ting an invite is a blessing.”

Protheroe is Cal Poly Football’s all-time leader in rushing yards, with 4,271 yards through his five years as a Mustang. NFL teams hold minicamps to familiarize newly drafted or signed rookies with the NFL’s style of play. Unsigned players, like Protheroe, are brought in hoping to be noticed and offered a spot on the training camp roster.

“I think I left the impression that I’m willing to learn,” Protheroe said. “That’s the most important thing, coming from the triple option offense and trying to transition into pro-style offense.”

In his first day of the minicamp, Protheroe said he was walked through different plays before running them full-speed with other recruits on the 49ers practice field.

“I learned today that the NFL is

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a lot faster than college ball, walkthrough-wise and everything,” Protheroe said.

The Associated Press’ 2018 FCS All-American rushed for more than 200 yards in four games in his senior season.

After a 2017 season-ending MCL tear, Protheroe returned to break Cal Poly’s single-season rushing

record by rushing for 1,810 yards across 861 carries in his final year.

Protheroe joined 40 other undrafted players on a tryout basis with the 49ers, competing for one of 90 spots for San Francisco’s training camp starting in July. On August 31, they will cut the roster down to 53 players.

“If they don’t pull me up on the

90-man roster, it’s not the end of the world,” Protheroe said. “I’ll go home Saturday, get to see my kids Saturday instead of seeing them on Sunday … so that’s the positive.”

Other NFL teams will host their own rookie minicamps from May 10-13.

TUESDAY • MAY 7, 2019 | SPORTS | MUSTANG NEWS

BY B RI AN T RUONG

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