The Loyal Order of the Propeller Heads Takes Off
Cal Poly Supporters Come From All Stages of Career and Life
By Scott Roark
It’s perfectly natural, even desirable, to be considered
a Propeller Head.
Just ask Dick Hartung and Paul Bonderson (EE ’75). What sounds like a throwback to an earlier era is actually a great way to attract the best and brightest students to Cal Poly.
Hartung and Bonderson are two members of the Loyal
Order of Propeller Heads, a group of College of Engineering
supporters. Their goal is to support engineering students, and they've created a scholarship endowment.
Many of the 11 Propeller Head members are alumni. Each has pledged a minimum of $100,000 to the endowment over a period of 10 years, totaling a commitment of $1.1 million to date.
But the Propeller Heads still want to do more for Cal Poly engineering students. They aim to provide financial assistance, guidance, counsel and mentoring to the recipients during their time at Cal Poly.
“What is really special about this scholarship is the recipients’ opportunity to obtain guidance from successful engineering and business people,” said Hartung. Through the scholarship renewal process, students will be asked to prepare a written annual update describing academic progress, participation in extracurricular activities and future plans in the academic year.
Students will then give an oral presentation on their written report to a committee of Cal Poly faculty and Propeller Head donors. “We are trying to provide a well-rounded learning experience for the student, giving them a good balance of academic and professional progress,” said Bonderson.
The Propeller Heads are one of many examples of Cal Poly supporters coming together with a common goal. Another example is the Orfalea College of Business, which is already bringing together a more recent crop of graduates.
“Classes of the 1990s Scholarship and Matching Gift Initiative,” the new program by the Orfalea College of Business, aims to establish 10 new scholarships, one in honor of each graduating class of the 90s. The ultimate goal is to grow each endowment to exceed $100,000. Through proceeds from the Orfalea gift endowment, the college will match dollar-for-dollar the first $50,000 in contributions.
The program is well underway, with approximately 10 percent of its goal raised so far. “It’s important for our recent graduates to become involved. They represent our next generation of leadership for the college and for the new directions firms will take in California and in the nation,” said Dave Christy, dean of the Orfalea College of Business.
But you don’t have to be an alum to be an important supporter of Cal Poly. Current students are also discovering the power of private support.
The newly formed Student Philanthropy Council is the first organization of its kind in Cal Poly’s history, involving student leaders in philanthropic projects, educating students about the benefits of private support, and promoting an awareness and appreciation of philanthropy among students.
The council recently established a senior class gift for all graduates, with the simple goal of raising enough funds to purchase bike racks on the Cal Poly campus. “Bike racks are sustainable, green and a growing need on campus,” said council member and Cal Poly Foundation student representative Sarah Storelli.
Mike McCall, chief development officer for University Advancement, says these three efforts are symbolic of the growing culture of private support at Cal Poly that spans generations and disciplines. “It’s remarkable to see this synergy of philanthropy adding new value to the campus,” he said.