California Polytechnic State University--Pomona
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Horses. You don't get the name "Billy Bronco" by being a cat person. My campus is home to the W.K. Kellogg (yes, that Kellogg) Arabian Horse Center, which hosts a free horse show once a month.
- Basketball. My NCAA Division II women's teams have won five national titles and the men's team recently won their first title in 2010.
- Engineering. I've got the largest civil engineering undergraduate program in the nation.
- The Tournament of Roses. Each year, I team up with Cal Poly SLO students to build a float and enter it in the parade. We've won fifty-five awards since 1949. NBD.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- Patience. Hands-on learning means you're going to make mistakes, but there's no need to get down on yourself. Even when all of the other students are laughing because you mixed up hydrochloric acid with salicylic acid…just get to the wash station. Like, now.
- Spirit. Don't be caught without some Broncos swag on game day. My students love to cheer.
- Longboard. It helps to be able to zip around campus. Just watch out for that hill.
- Government-issued ID. Can't get served at my brewery otherwise. That's right, I have my own beer.
- Sunglasses. Not just so you can look like RDJ…they happen to protect your eyes, too.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- My CLA Building was used as a location in the 1997 film, Gattaca. Uma Thurman's my homegirl.
- Fight gamers freak when I tell them I hosted the Evolution Championship Series in 2004. That's right, the legendary Daigo Parry happened right here.
- Folks around town know my Farm Store is the place to go to for some locally grown produce.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
Chances are I'm in downtown Pomona, bar-hopping before catching some live music at The Glass House or Fox Theater. I figure if I watch enough local bands, odds are one of them is going to make it. Then, I'll finally be able to say I knew them before they were famous.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Bronco Student Center. Grab some Subway, watch some sports, and viciously slap at arcade machines all in the same building.
- Bronco Recreational and Intramural Complex. Two words: Workout heaven.
- University Quad. Sure, it's cliché, but the weather is great here and there are plenty of places to sprawl out and make those spray-tanners jealous.
Quirks:
- I've always been into the quarter system here…but it's everyone else who's weird, not me.
- The typical national holidays can get so monotonous. Catch my students taking Hugo Chavez Day off like it's no big deal.
- Yes, those "Duck Crossing" signs are real. Duck safety is no joke. But don't worry about approaching them—they're pretty friendly.
- I'm notoriously strict about my rose garden. It might be tempting to pick one of them for that cutie in your study group, but I'm always watching. Trust me.
Famous Alumni:
- Hilda Solis, former U.S. Secretary of Labor
- Forest Whitaker, Academy Award-winning actor
- Glenn Davis, Heisman Trophy-winner
- Kevin Lyman, creator of Warped Tour
- James Williamson, guitarist for The Stooges
- Larry Wilmore, "Senior Black Correspondent" on The Daily Show