Class of 2010: Transformed from Students to New Professionals

SAN LUIS OBISPO -- Through Cal Poly’s labs, workshops, fields and classrooms, there runs a common theme of lives transformed. Academically motivated students come here with career and life aspirations, and dedicated faculty members help them become what they hope to be.

Commencement June 12 provided a chance for students and faculty to reflect on the Class of 2010’s transformation from whip-smart, wide-eyed freshmen to motivated new professionals with hands-on experience, ready to contribute impressive skills and ideas their first day on the job.

Cal Poly said farewell and good luck to more than 3,000 members of the Class of 2010 over the weekend. Many had inspiring stories about how their Cal Poly experience transformed their lives, which is as it should be, according to Provost Bob Koob. “Wonderful things happen when you bring academically motivated students together with Cal Poly’s talented faculty members,'' Koob is fond of saying. "Our faculty and staff are thoroughly committed to student success, and our students know it, appreciate it and wisely take full advantage of all the opportunities that Cal Poly offers.”

Here are a few stories about opportunities seized, and successes realized:

Kareen Balogo
College of Architecture and
Environmental Design
B.L.A., Landscape Architecture

Robert Peralta
College of Engineering
B.S., Electrical Engineering

Paul Collagen
Continuing Education
B.S., Interdisciplinary Studies

Sense of Purpose: Kareen Balogo

Kareen Bologo Philippines native Kareen Lei Balogo was 15 when she moved to California to live with an aunt and uncle. Adjusting and trying to fit into her new community was a challenge.

“I was shy and, frankly, ashamed that I was now considered a minority,” she said. “The language barrier didn’t help.”

But things began to turn around a year later, when she moved with her parents to National City – a predominantly Filipino community in southern San Diego. She made friends, joined student government and began taking advanced placement courses.

Junior college followed, and then a transfer to Cal Poly. On Saturday, she graduated with a degree in Landscape Architecture.

While here, Balogo participated in internships in Oakland, California and South Africa. “I saw and learned some amazing things, worked on real projects and enjoyed a curriculum that prepared me for my career.”

Balogo hopes to start her own non-governmental organization, working with children in the Philippines.
“My education at Cal Poly opened a lot of doors for me to enjoy a more meaningful and fulfilled future,” she said.

Commitment to Excellence: Robert Peralta

Robert Peralta grew up in Santa Maria, a few miles south of Cal Poly. However, he said, “I came a long way to actually get here.”

Peralta grew up in an area rife with violence, drugs and alcohol abuse. The son of agricultural field workers, he was an honor student through most of high school. During his senior year, though, his grades dropped. Believing college was out of the questions, he enlisted in the military.

Afterward, he attended Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria to pursue an engineering degree and then transferred to Cal Poly in 2007. He graduated Saturday with an Electrical Engineering degree.

While here, Peralta worked as a DUI school counselor, volunteered to feed the homeless and help children in third-world countries, and talked to young people about alcohol and drug abuse. He also promoted higher education, mentored engineering transfer students from Hancock College and helped organize a support group for Cal Poly engineering students.

Through it all, he has helped his father, who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, and provided moral and financial assistance to his parents and extended family.
Of his journey at Cal Poly, Peralta said, “If you are doing great, keep doing what you are doing. Hard work and determination pay off.

“If you’re struggling, don’t give up. Ask for the help you need. You’ll be surprised by how much you’ll receive – and even more surprised by your success.”

Maximizing Opportunities: Paul Collagan

Paul Collagen Paul Collagan was in his mid-thirties when he came to Cal Poly and finish his college education. It was tough decision, given that he works full-time, helps care for his mother-in-law and lives with the effects of a brain injury from a car accident years ago.

This all forced Collagan to limit the number of evening courses he attended every quarter, extending the time it took to graduate. But he persevered, earning a bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Studies through Cal Poly’s Continuing Education Program.

He credits his success to the support and sacrifice of his family, help from his advisers, and Cal Poly’s Disability Resource Center.

"I couldn't have been as successful as I have been without the support of my mother and father. They supported my in every manor possible from ecouragement, tuition and discussing my academic activities.They were with me all through the journey," said Collagan.

Through the DRC, Collagan developed skills he needed to be successful and earn his degree. He said Cal Poly’s learn-by-doing educational model suited his learning style.

“I am a visual and auditory learner,” he said. “With my disability, it was easier for me to understand the lecture when I was able to see it put to use.”
Collagan works as a local preschool teacher and is considering pursuing a K-12 teaching credential.

He said he loved attending Cal Poly. “The faculty and staff are dedicated to student success, and I feel I am a testament to that. I am grateful that I have the tools necessary to make the most of everything I do from here on out.”