It’s spring in California. Golden poppies and the sweet scent of Cal Poly strawberries are afloat across campus. Our campus is bright and alive. But, boy, are we excited for the summer breeze and graduation. April is a month of hellos for some, and the start of long goodbyes for others. Our media organization just decided new leadership for next year, meaning we are actively training next year’s Archana-and-Jeremy duo. Long nights, endless Slack messages and some side-eyes across the newsroom are coming their way. This time of year is filled with optimism for what’s to come, and we hope to capture every moment for you all.
This issue is special because we are saying hello to possible new Mustangs who may be coming to campus for the first time. By the time the flowers dry, things will surely look different around here, but for now, here’s what to look forward to in our last quarter of being leaders.
In these pages, you’ll find stories capturing Cal Poly in a snapshot of this promising time. ASI elections are around the corner, and the rodeo team is making generational waves. Students are developing
advancements in fire protection and the medical world. And players from around the world fill our sports teams. During times of uncertainty, we brought you news that matters. We’re continually dedicated to bringing you ethical and accurate coverage that will make your voices heard. When we make mistakes, we promise to tell you what happened and why.
Hello to the future Mustangs reading this issue. Farewell to others who are on their way out. We hope we’ve served you well and continue to serve you best we can while learning to be the best.
SINCERELY,
ARCHANA PISUPATI EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
JEREMY GARZA
MANAGING EDITOR
DESIGNED BY AVA CHEUNG
Detained on the Central Coast
STORY BY ANGEL CORZO & NICOLAS NARDI
DESIGNED BY MEHER ANKLESARIA
Four masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents stood outside the Santa Barbara County Northern Branch Jail on April 1, waiting to detain an inmate being released.
Cesar Vasquez and several other legal observers for 805 UndocuFund were standing close by, documenting the federal agents as they walked to their unmarked vehicles with an inmate, now in ICE’s custody. The mother of the inmate was there to witness it all, and Vasquez stayed back to share the immigrant advocacy group’s resources.
Vasquez, 18, has spoken with many other families impacted by federal immigration enforcement in Santa Maria and throughout the Central
Coast. He said it never gets easier, nor does he want it to.
“The second it gets easier is the second I’m disconnected from the community work, from the support, from my passion,” said Vasquez, a rapid response coordinator for 805 UndocuFund. “It’s just the pain that I have to learn to live through.”
Since January 2025, federal immigration enforcement has taken 466 individuals into custody in Santa Maria, according to 805 UndocuFund data, making it the most impacted city across San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties as of April 1. For Vasquez, serving his community through his activism against ICE means everything. But it also comes with challenges.
At the No Kings Day protest on March 28, someone in a hoodie approached Vasquez before he spoke at the event. Vasquez said the unidentified person told him, “this might be
your last speech,” and walked away. Vasquez has also received threats through direct messages online after being featured in The Guardian, a British news organization.
The rapid response coordinator said he considers himself a revolutionary through his work with 805 UndocuFund. While he said other revolutionaries in the past have wanted to “die for the revolution,” Vasquez wants to live for it.
“If something were to happen to me, you know, legally or physically, at least I’d go out knowing that I’m out here for the community,” Vasquez said.
‘EVERY SINGLE STREET IN SANTA MARIA NOW CARRIES A TRAUMA’
A little over 30 miles south of San Luis Obispo lies the city of Santa Maria, home to Vasquez and where
Mustang News reporters witnessed an ICE arrest in Santa Maria
the rapid response coordinator patrols for ICE activity before the crack of dawn.
He keeps a list of ICE vehicle descriptions and license plates to look out for in the area and maintains constant communication with other volunteers doing the same work at the same time across the three counties of the Central Coast. But each ride through the streets of his hometown now brings tainted memories for Vasquez.
“The neighborhoods I drive through are no longer neighborhoods I grew up in, or walked to go to the grocery store,” Vasquez said. “They’re neighborhoods where someone has been taken.” Many of the homes Vasquez drives by are homes where he has either given financial relief to families, or informed them of an ICE arrest.
“Every single street in Santa Maria now carries a trauma,” Vasquez said.
He starts his drive around the city during the early mornings of the day when others in the community are heading to work in the fields. Vasquez said his parents began working in the fields when they were teenagers, and almost everyone he has met in Santa Maria has an association with farm working.
According to Vasquez, much of the ICE activity in the early, dark mornings occurred during the “four-day raids,” his phrase for when federal agents raided cities across the Central Coast and took 34 people into custody after Christmas in Santa Maria last year, The Tribune previously reported.
Vasquez said he grew up as an anxious child. He would worry about things like his family’s car flipping over on road trips, or drowning during a flash flood warning. Now, he said this anxiety has helped him navigate his life as an activist,
NICOLAS NARDI | MUSTANG NEWS
ICE agents detained two individuals at the Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail on April 1, according to 805 UndocuFund volunteers at the scene.
moving through stressful situations and being accustomed to them.
The rapid response coordinator would also help fill out government forms for his mother who could not read, write or speak English. He said he would not have imagined himself providing similar financial support to families in his community affected by ICE, but the signs were there.
Vasquez began advocating for causes like gun violence, education reform and field worker pay when he was 12 years old. As a child to undocumented parents, however, organizing for immigration reform has always felt personal.
STUDENT GROUPS HAVE FORMED RELATIONSHIPS WITH 805 UNDOCUFUND
At Cal Poly, some student organizations like Students for Justice in Palestine have collaborated with 805 UndocuFund for events and fundraising.
Co-president of Students for Justice in Palestine Iyad Jamaly said he believes Cal Poly students are disconnected from ICE activity in the Central Coast. He said 805 UndocuFund, however, has brought more awareness and education on the effects of immigration enforcement on these communities.
The club has hosted Vasquez at their meetings and events, and the group has helped 805 UndocuFund to book spaces on campus to host rapid response trainings, said Co-President of Students for Justice in Palestine Cobalt Strahle.
Jamaly said he found Vasquez to be a brave and courageous person when hearing him speak about his story and work.
At age 18, Vasquez was committed to attending San Diego State University. After conversations with multiple people over the phone, he decided to defer his acceptance to the university and continue his activism in Santa Maria after graduating high school.
Now, Vasquez said he oversees a rapid response network of around 900 volunteers for 805 UndocuFund. He said he works for the community, letting them decide his fate.
“To be a leader, you need to be a follower of the people that you’re supposed to lead,” Vasquez said. “My future is decided upon by the people.”
Editor’s note: Cobalt Strahle is a member of Mustang Media Group but had no affiliation with the production of this story. Mustang News blurred the face of the detained individual due to safety and privacy concerns.
NICOLAS NARDI | MUSTANG NEWS ICE agents escort a detained individual from the jail to the patrol vehicles.
NICOLAS NARDI | MUSTANG NEWS
Cesar Vasquez, who oversees around 900 volunteers at 805 UndocuFund who track ICE activity and provide support, speaks with ICE agent.
NICOLAS NARDI | MUSTANG NEWS 805 UndocuFund volunteers protest as they witness ICE detain an individual in Santa Maria.
‘We need
to work as a community’: Students call for pest control changes
Poison left on campus could have larger environmental impacts, according to Cal Poly's Wildlife Club
STORY BY BELLA COX
DESIGNED BY AVA CHEUNG
In Fall of 2025, Seeta Sistla noticed a build up of rodenticide boxes, or bait boxes for rats and other pests, on campus. The natural resources management and environmental sciences professor emailed Cal Poly’s sustainability team and Facilities Customer and Business Services about the issue.
After a month of email correspondence, she received an explanation from the landscaping supervisor, via email from Dane Wolff, customer service coordinator. At the end of their contracts, pest control agencies are expected to remove boxes from campus, but in practice, that has not always happened.
The landscaping team’s first responsibility is to keep a safe and hygienic campus environment, which involves the consistent suppression of rodents, the landscaping supervisor wrote in the email. They currently rely on conventional methods, like using the rodenticide boxes, but are always exploring other options.
Frustrated with the inactionable response she received, Sistla brought her concerns to Cal Poly’s Wildlife Club. Their club advisor, biological sciences professor Tim Bean, introduced her findings to club members to gauge interest in mapping the boxes on campus.
Her hope was that she could then use this data to accurately demonstrate to the university the harm these boxes pose to the campus environment.
“So who’s gonna manage all of these dead and dying animals that have just ingested this toxin?” Sistla questioned. “Where are they going? There’s no documentation of it.”
Services provided by pest control companies on campus are managed by multiple entities, each responsible for their own contracted areas, according to university spokesperson Keegan Koberl. Entities include departments like ASI, University Housing or Campus Dining.
“Due to the size of campus and the involvement of multiple service providers, we do not have a centralized inventory of previously placed bait boxes,” Koberl wrote.
The poison in these bait boxes has led to non-targeted wildlife showing symptoms of rodenticide poisoning, according to Kelley Bowland, Pacific Wildlife Care Center development coordinator. Club board members have been in close contact with the center as they have been noticing animals coming in with these symptoms.
Since November 2025, the club has documented 464 rodenticide boxes on campus, and they are still collecting data in the outskirts of the main campus.
PEST CONTROL COMPANY CONTRACT
Currently, pest control company Orkin has a general campus contract with the university, which covers the main campus, and a contract with University Housing. The main campus contract began Jan. 1, 2025 and University Housing began Aug. 1, 2024. However, club members have been finding more than just Orkin’s rodenticide boxes on campus.
Due to performance issues, Cal Poly terminated its contract with
its previous company and opened up rebid in November 2024, hiring Orkin shortly after, Koberl wrote in an email to Mustang News.
The facilities team has not yet identified any performance issues with Orkin, but they meet monthly to discuss service performance, ongoing pest management strategies and ensure compliance with contract requirements, Koberl said.
According to Orkin’s contract with
Cal Poly, they are responsible for removing materials like temporary structures and waste around or on site and dispose of them in a safe and legal fashion. The contract was obtained in a public records request by Mustang News.
The previously contracted companies were directed by the facilities team to remove the bait boxes within 30 days of the end of their contract, according to Koberl.
Rodent Trap Dencity
Rodent Trap
464)
Rodenticide stations by provider and poison type
Five other types of rodenticide boxes were found during this search: Western, Terminix, Protecta LP, TOMCAT, Ecolab and a handful of unknown traps. Once this was brought to facilities attention, they began fixing the issue and are actively disposing of the rodenticide boxes, Koberl wrote.
THE WILDLIFE CLUB’S PROJECT
Oliver Chamberlin, vice President of the Wildlife Club, created a map reflecting the locations of these rodenticide boxes. The environmental management and protection senior used geographic information systems software, ArcGIS, to compile and display this data.
“But, like, using that information to help inform management decisions that are based on the cause of the problem as opposed to just treating it symptomatically,” said Anna Foehr, President of the Wildlife Club.
Foehr and Sistla recognized there are always overflowing trash receptacles on campus that could be attracting these pests. And that would need
Number of Stations
to be managed first, before implementing new solutions for catching the rodents.
“We need to work as a community to reduce our trash on campus and incentivize other means of rodent control,” Sistla said.
Rodenticide boxes need to be properly disposed of to ensure community members do not get contaminated, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
After compiling their data, members have found that 33 of the 464 documented boxes don’t have labels, according to Chamberlin. Per the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, a label must detail the name and address of the producer or registrant, directions for use and use classification, among other things.
Small groups of club members were assigned an area on campus to cover and document how many boxes were in that area, according to Chamberlin. Each photo documentation contains the exact location of the photo and any notes that could
distinguish the area, like if the trap is up against a storm grid or near running water.
“We want this to be a form of accountability, essentially, for the university and for these companies as well, to do what they’re supposed to be doing,” Chamberlin said.
While their findings have not spurred any action yet, both Foehr and Chamberlin stated how excited their club members are about the project and some have even expressed interest beyond just collecting data like investigating the potential impacts of rodenticides on non-tagert species.
EFFECTS ON OTHER WILDLIFE
Chamberlin explained that the rodenticide boxes raise huge issues for wildlife because when rodents go into the boxes and ingest the poisons, they don’t die right then and there. They leave the area and die over the course of the next couple days.
Rodenticide boxes are engineered to kill pests rather than catching
them, according to Orkin’s website.
Bromethalin, a non-anticoagulant rodenticide poison, is most often used in rodenticide boxes. The type of poison should be noted on the rodenticide boxes if emergency treatment is needed, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. California has the strongest legislation restricting anticoagulant rodenticides in the country, as part of the Poison-Free Wildlife Act which began Jan. 1, 2025.
Larger predators, like foxes, coyotes and predatory birds, will eat the deceased rodents and the rodenticide will bioaccumulate in their system over time, according to Chamberlin. The Pacific Wildlife Care Center in Morro Bay has been noticing birds and larger mammals dropping dead because of the accumulation of these rodenticides.
Staff at the wildlife center are concerned about the use of rodenticides and do not support their “indiscriminate” use because of their effects on non-target wildlife, Bowland wrote to Mustang News in an email.
Great horned owls, barn owls, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, Virginia opossums and gray foxes are species that the center most often sees with suspected rodenticide exposure, according to Bowland.
State research demonstrates how widespread non-targeted rodenticide exposure is, as detailed in a report by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2024, Bowland explained. They found that 29 of 54 tested raptors and 75 of 97 mammals had been exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides, including three golden eagles that were submitted for testing from San Luis Obispo County.
“We hope that our findings, along with a supporting review on the broader environmental and wildlife impacts of rodenticides, and comparisons to pest management
strategies used in other countries, will encourage the University to move away from this ineffective approach,” Foehr said. “Instead, we advocate for methods that address the root causes of pest issues and prioritize proper assessment from the outset.”
WILDLIFE CLUB HOPES FOR ADVOCATION
Not only could these pest control products be harming other wildlife in the campus community’s direct surroundings, it could pose questions about human health if people become exposed to the poisons used. Exposure can cause severe health effects and even lead to death, according to Chamberlin.
“And are we willing to sacrifice our bobcats, our mountain lions, our hawks, our vultures, our ground squirrels, and potentially ourselves, for controlling rodents in this way?”
Sistla asked.
Foehr doesn’t believe the university is being responsible in disposing of previously placed bait boxes. Additionally, the club observed that many of the boxes were not in discreet locations, which Foehr says raises concerns about oversight and proper disposal practices.
He puts emphasis on wanting the university to adopt more holistic methods like sustainable pest control methods and introducing a safe way to dispose of the rodenticide boxes.
“I just want something actionable,” Chamberlin said. “Something that the university will want to do something about because we don’t want to, you know, create conflict with the university. We just want to motivate a positive change, you know?”
According to Koberl, the university and the facilities team is happy to engage with community members on maintaining a healthy and safe environment for students, faculty and staff.
HOW CAL POLY IS EXPLORING WILDFIRES AND THEIR PREVENTION
The application of Simtable visualization technology in San Luis Obispo
STORY BY LAUREN JONES, LAUREN YOON, JONATHAN SZE, & MAX MCCULLOUGH
DESIGNED
BY ELENA VAUGHAN
Ashley Branum was just a couple days away from giving birth to her first child on a clear October day in 2023, when she sat alone inside her San Luis Obispo home. Branum heard some commotion outside and went to check it out. After clearing her doorway, she was greeted with a plume of smoke and fire just beyond her front yard.
“I could see the planes dropping the fire retardant,” Branum said. “I called my husband and told him that he needed to come home right now.”
The fire, known as the Lizzie Fire, burned just above San Luis Obispo High School on Lookout Hill, where wildlife and urban life meet. That plume of smoke Branum saw is the kind of moment wildfire researchers try to capture, analyze and model — sometimes using tools like Simtable, which is software that can recreate fire behavior down to the terrain.
In October 2025, the San Luis Obispo Fire Department hosted an open house, one of the demonstrations was a recreation of the Lizzie
Fire of 2023. This is where Branum was able to watch the fire spread, not from her house at the ground level, but from a birds-eye view.
“It brought back a lot of feelings for sure,” Branum said.
Cal Poly’s Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Institute, located inside Cal Poly’s Technology Park, has studied the interaction between wildfires and urban environments since its conception in 2021. Headed by Director Frank Frievalt, the institute unites faculty and students from different departments with industry leaders, CAL FIRE and local fire stations to complete research to reduce wildfire severity especially as it relates to cities and towns.
Simtable is a simulation tool that the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Institute and other organizations like CAL FIRE use to visually model fires. It consists of a large tray filled with finely-crushed walnut shells or sand, with a computer-operated projector.
A topographic map of a given area is projected onto the tray, where the
Through changes in our climate, we’re seeing more severe catastrophic weather events. The frequency is going up and the severity is going up.
FRANK FRIEVALT Fire Institute Director
sand can be rearranged to model the elevation and terrain of the displayed area. The operator can customize controls to simulate different variables of a fire. They can spark fires miles from the main blaze, stage EMTs and speed or slow time to model the fire’s growth, Frievalt said.
New visualization tools such as Simtable have come at a time where wildfires are growing in size and intensity.
75 percent of the 20 most structurally destructive wildfires in California have occurred since 2015, according to CAL FIRE.
Katabatic wind, commonly called Santa Ana wind in Southern California, is a weather effect where wind rushes down a mountain range as higher density air gets pulled down by gravity. Both the Eaton and Palisades Fires in Los Angeles County in early 2025 were enhanced by these strong winds, according to Frievalt.
The combination of high winds and dry conditions leading up to both
fires resulted in the second- and third-most destructive wildfires in California’s history.
“Through changes in our climate, we're seeing more severe catastrophic weather events,” Frievalt said. “The frequency is going up and the severity is going up.”
MODELING THE INTERACTION BETWEEN WILDLAND AND URBAN SETTINGS
One of the main usages for Simtable is to project how fires spread through wildland settings.
The Simtable can also project a fuel map based on satellite data that shows different materials that influence how fire spreads in a given area. This can demonstrate why a wildfire might spread faster in certain areas and why they are at higher risk.
It is a complex piece of equipment that can’t be picked up on the fly, according to Frievalt. One of the first tasks that Wildland-Urban Interface student assistant Garrett Lee had
It really took me thinking to myself, I have to learn how to do this, people are depending on me.
GARRETT LEE Fire Institute Student Assistant
at the institute was to learn how it operated.
“The Simtable gets to Cal Poly and there's no instructions,” Lee said. “It really took me thinking to myself, I have to learn how to do this, people are depending on me.”
While Cal Poly did eventually get an instruction manual, it wasn’t suitable for the high turnover rate that a college program would have.
Lee basically had to rewrite the handbook to suit the Fire Institute’s needs.
EDUCATING FIREFIGHTERS AND THE COMMUNITY
The table not only models how fires spread but also serves as a training tool for firefighters.
Operators can simulate actions to fight fires on Simtable such as airdrops from tankers, hose lines, fuel bulldozers and hand crews.
“One of its other main uses is the ability to train people for tactical decision making, such that their decisions are reflected and the consequences of their decisions or indecision become available on the
screen," Frievalt said. “It's a very inexpensive way to learn tough lessons.”
Another big use of Simtable is to educate the community. When the new fire hazard map took effect in July 2025, it brought new sets of rules to many houses and businesses.
“The maps have really changed the narrative and changed the rules for what is required of homeowners and business owners in the city and county as a whole,” former San Luis Obispo Fire Chief Todd Tuggle said. Not only were there rules attached to these new fire zones, but the maps
themselves could be confusing. With red, orange and yellow jutting in and out for no apparent reason, questions were raised about what each zone meant and how it affected local residents — questions that can be visually explained with Simtable.
“We have these new things with the fire severity zones and the [WildlandUrban Interface] ordinances, and it’s scary for people because they don’t know anything about it,” Lee said.
The Simtable is able to provide visual answers to questions that residents of San Luis Obispo have, according to Lee.
LAUREN JONES | MUSTANG NEWS Forest and fire sciences senior Garrett Lee points out the routes a fire may spread by, explaining where evacuation routes may be in the event of a fire by Cal Poly.
LEGACY LIVES ON AT CAL POLY
Several members of the Cal Poly Rodeo Team are continuing in their families’ footsteps and honoring those who came before them
STORY BY SEDONA HARRIS DESIGNED BY KENNEDY RAY
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Several Cal Poly Rodeo athletes said that being immersed in the world of rodeo was something that happened before they could even remember. To them, rodeo has always been second-nature, something they were raised with, passed down through their family.
Vince Nino, a team roping and tie-down roping athlete for Cal Poly Rodeo, is continuing a family tradition that spans across several generations. He said his family line of Cal Poly Rodeo athletes is so long, it’s hard to keep track.
“I’ve had a couple cousins that
competed here at Cal Poly Rodeo, and then my dad went to Cal Poly,” Nino said. “I’ve had numerous aunts, uncles and family members — I couldn’t count how many have been here, but there’s been a lot of us.”
The agricultural science senior said he isn’t the only Nino competing on the team today, and it’s not the first time multiple Ninos have competed together.
“It’s fun rodeoing with my cousin. He’s a freshman right now,” Nino said. “When I was a freshman, I had an older cousin that looked out for me, so it’s pretty good to continue that for someone else.”
Cal Poly Rodeo was first established in 1939. While the program has grown over the span of several decades, so have some families'
TEAM CULTURE
Though Cal Poly Rodeo has grown and evolved over the last couple of decades — with a team that now boasts over 100 members — these athletes share the camaraderie on the team is one that has remained the same year-after-year.
“We’re all great friends,” Lazanoff said. “We get along, everyone works together and wants everyone to get better, and my dad and all his friends
were the exact same way.”
lineage in the program’s history. Today, 11 athletes on the Cal Poly Rodeo team come from families of Cal Poly Rodeo alumni, according to Anna Grace Durham, the media manager for Cal Poly Rodeo.
For Ethan Lazanoff, a team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling athlete, his family rodeo legacy is one that is also visible in the grounds today. His father currently manages the cowboy beef unit and takes care of the cattle ranches on campus.
“My dad and my uncle were both on the [rodeo] team, and then my mom was on the livestock judging team here,” said Lazanoff, an agricultural systems management freshman.
Caleb Carpenter, a team roping and calf roping athlete, said that being
For these athletes, Cal Poly Rodeo proves to be something that lasts far beyond the arena.
“My mom met all of our family friends here, so then growing up with them and then seeing all of the people and connections that my sister got to make, you kind of just make your own family here,” Lewis said.
a part of the Cal Poly Rodeo team was always a goal of his, in order to continue his family’s legacy. The agricultural communication senior’s father and aunt both previously competed for Cal Poly Rodeo and his father won a national title for team roping in 1984.
“I felt that it was cool to be able to continue kind of what my dad had done back then and to be able to fulfill, you know, coming here getting a degree in rodeo and Cal Poly,” Carpenter said.
For some rodeo athletes, like Lacey Lewis, a breakaway, team roping and barrel racing athlete, they were able to experience their family’s Cal Poly Rodeo legacy firsthand.
“My mom always raved about it, she loved it so much. She comes back
every year and does the alumni team roping for Poly Royal, and I was lucky enough to have a year here with my sister before she graduated,” said Lewis, an agricultural communication junior.
Lewis shared that there was one specific moment during her time with Cal Poly Rodeo where she realized she was currently living out her family’s legacy.
“It was my sister’s senior year,” Lewis said. “We were both up in the same event, and the announcer was talking about the two Lewis sisters that are here. We happened to be good friends with the announcer, and they said something like ‘the three Lewis girls,’ so that was kind of cool, it felt like a tradition almost.”
‘A DREAM OF MINE’
All of the athletes shared that competing for the Cal Poly Rodeo team is an accomplishment that they had been working towards most of their life. There was a sense of pride that they said their younger self would feel if they saw where they were today.
“I’d be so happy. I mean it was one of my biggest goals in my life, and I would be pretty happy with myself that I made it here,” Lazanoff said.
“It definitely is a goal I achieved and I would be proud and ecstatic for myself,” Carpenter said.
“I think he’d [Nino’s younger self] be a real happy guy. It was a dream of mine to come to Cal Poly. I think I’d be proud of myself, so that’s exciting,” Nino said.
“I never pictured myself coming to Cal Poly, but I’m so glad that I did. I feel like I’ve grown as a person here because of this team and because of our coaches and all of the other people I’ve met, so she [Lewis’ younger self] would definitely be proud that I made it here,” Lewis said.
PASSED DOWN LASSO: HOW FAMILIES SHARE LOVE FOR RODEO
LAZANOFF FAMILY:
Ethan competes in team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling. Before him, his father and uncle were on the rodeo team, and his mother was on the livestock judging team. His father did team roping, and his uncle did calf roping and steer wrestling for Cal Poly Rodeo. Today, Ethan’s father can still be found around the rodeo grounds, taking care of the cattle ranches, as the manager of the cowboy beef unit. Ethan said that being raised in rodeo from a young age paved the way for him today. “I’ve always loved rodeo, loved the lifestyle and I’ve always known that’s something I wanted to do my whole life.”
LEWIS FAMILY:
Lacey competes in breakaway, team roping and barrel racing. Before her, her mother and older sister also competed for Cal Poly Rodeo in the same events. Lacey said that seeing the connections her mother and sister made through the Cal Poly Rodeo team influenced her decision to come to Cal Poly. “My Mom met all of our family friends here, so then growing up with them and then seeing all of the people and connections that my sister got to make, you kind of just make your own family here.”
NINO FAMILY:
Vince competes in team roping and tie-down roping. Before him, his cousins competed for Cal Poly Rodeo, and his father, aunts, uncles and several other family members all attended Cal Poly. Today, Vince competes alongside his cousin, who is a freshman Cal Poly Rodeo team member. Vince shared that being at Cal Poly and on the rodeo team makes him proud, knowing that he’s continuing his family’s legacy. “The day I got accepted was kind of cool. My Dad went here, and I was like ‘yeah sweet, I’m going to continue it,’ and that’s something to be proud of.”
CARPENTER FAMILY:
Caleb competes in team roping and calf roping. Before him, his father and his aunt competed for Cal Poly Rodeo. In 1984, Caleb’s father won a national title in team roping for Cal Poly. Caleb said that he sees a similarity in the way his father described the Cal Poly Rodeo team and his experience today. “Like us as a team and them as a team back then, we all try and look for each other’s success. We’re always trying to make each other better and see us succeed.”
LACEY LEWIS | COURTESY Lacey and Ashley Lewis at Ashley's senior night in 2025.
ETHAN LAZANOFF | COURTESY
Ethan Lazanoff’s father competes for Cal Poly Rodeo.
CALEB CARPENTER | COURTESY
Caleb Carpenter’s father being awarded “All Around Cowboy” in 1984.
LACEY LEWIS | COURTESY
Lacey Lewis poses with her family, including her sister and mother, who previously competed on the Cal Poly Rodeo team.
CALEB CARPENTER | COURTESY
Ethan Lazanoff’s father competes in team roping, and his uncle competing in calf roping and steer wrestling for Cal Poly Rodeo.
ETHAN LAZANOFF | COURTESY
Caleb Carpenter’s father competes in team roping and calf roping during his time at Cal Poly.
Behind BiCEP: How biomedical engineering students push the needle
STORY BY KIMBER DRAUGHON
DESIGNED BY AVA DONALDSON
Isabella Gallegos discovered she wasn’t squeamish during her first day in the operating room.
A 14-year-old’s leg needed a repair, bringing in an experienced surgical team for Gallegos to observe. The nurses prepped the patient and soon enough, the surgeon chose from his array of orthopedic tools: mallets, steel saws and other equipment for hammering.
“It was insane,” Gallegos said. “For my first surgery to walk in on, they were hammering stuff into his entire leg. There was blood flying.” Gallegos was shocked at the intensity and swiftness of the orthopedic procedure. The biomedical engineering junior gained an appreciation for the inner-workings of the medical field and how biomedical
engineering is used beyond the classroom.
Gallegos was one of 10 biomedical engineering juniors part of the Biomedical Clinical Engineering Partnership (BiCEP), an opportunity for biomedical engineering students to understand real-world medicine practices. Last summer, participants shadowed professionals at Adventist Health Sierra Vista and developed products to try and solve problems they discovered.
“Throughout the entire hospital, there’s biomedical devices that are used for almost anything you can think of,” Gallegos said. “Getting the perspective from the doctor and seeing patients walk out of the hospital with new, life-changing technology inside them really helps you understand why you do what you do as a biomedical engineer.”
The 10-week program consisted
of a Summer Immersion in Design Experience course focused on device design and biomedical entrepreneurship, as well as an eightweek Clinical Immersion Experience (CLINEX) Program, where students shadow hospital staff. Participants received a $1000 scholarship to support summer living expenses.
For the first five weeks, pairs of students rotated through the emergency room, intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, OB-GYN department and surgery department. In the second half of the program, students researched and designed prototypes in a specific department.
THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX
During BiCEP participant Sydney Gallo’s ER rotation, she saw a man with internal throat bleeding go into shock who needed immediate
medical attention to save his life.
“They didn’t notice that he was slipping into shock until his blood pressure fully dropped and he was in the danger zone,” Gallo said.
Gallo works as an emergency medical technician, where she performs capillary refill tests to check if patients have adequate blood flow. In practice, the tests mean she presses an individual’s fingertip to make sure the initial color returns within two seconds.
In the hospital, she noticed this practice was not common, resulting in situations like the one Gallo saw in the ER. This inspired her to create a color sensor device to automatically screen patients for signs of blood loss that could lead to shock.
The sensor is designed to detect the difference in fingerpad color before and after being pressed and track the time it takes for the color to return.
The process is designed to work for all skin tones, according to Gallo.
“My favorite part was being able to choose a problem you’re passionate about and that interests you fully,” Gallo said. “We were given 100% freedom to come up with our own ideas, which is scary and daunting on its own, but it also is very freeing.”
When brainstorming how to make detecting the pre-stages of shock easier, Gallo found inspiration for her project in the NICU. The premature infants are very small and require especially tiny blood pressure cuffs. Gallo changed these small and lightweight devices to test blood flow in adult patients.
NICU Medical Director Dr. Steven Van Scoy, who is also a clinical mentor for BiCEP, supported her efforts to adapt the product for a different medical use. A positive quality of participants like Gallo is
their open minds, Van Scoy said. “Most of us in medicine have been in it for a while, and we evolve our equipment along the same line,” Van Scoy said. “The students, without any preconceived notions of what that piece of equipment or invention should look like, can come at it from a completely different angle.”
IMPROVING WOMEN’S HEALTH
Gallegos’s interest peaked in the OB department. After talking with doctors and nurses, she discovered an issue with the placenta remaining attached after the mother gives birth. When the placenta, a temporary organ that keeps the fetus alive during pregnancy, doesn’t detach, immediate intervention is required to avoid complications, often resulting in invasive methods to remove it. Doctors often have to reach their hand into the uterus to remove the placenta.
Gallegos felt strongly that there was a better option, leading to the creation of a silicone-based “wand” prototype that gently twists to remove the placenta from the uterine wall.
She and her project partner Makenna Ladyga had to conduct their own experiments, testing a 3D model through a program called Solidworks. According to Gallegos, there is minimal research in women’s health. Physicians helped them know how much force the device could use while still protecting the uterus.
“Taking that clinical feedback and turning it into engineering requirements is a really important skill to have,” Gallegos said.
BiCEP projects are later integrated into the curriculum through lower division case studies or senior projects, according to biomedical engineering professor Christopher Heylman, one of the program supervisors. Gallegos’s project continued through a biomedical engineering senior project that presented their final design at a showcase in March.
MOVING AWAY FROM THE 'GOLD STANDARD'
Zoey Jen discovered a problem with spinal fusion, a surgery sometimes performed when the squishy discs supporting someone’s spine start to break down. Some patients returned for surgery multiple times. Repeated spinal fusions decrease their mobility in the future, according to Jen.
Spinal fusion is the “gold standard,” or standard practice, for treating instability around the spine, but it causes greater stress around the fused vertebrae. This surgery reduces how much the spine can handle in the future, leading to complications such as adjacent segment disease.
Jen and her partner Olivia Armas worked towards a product that biologically mirrors a spinal disc, discovering it was difficult to replicate a part of the human body that was so unique. The disc would need to both compress and withstand pressure at the same time, according to Jen.
By the end of the program, she had a prototype for the device, but there was still a long way to go. Five biomedical engineering seniors Allison Cline, Morgan Gentzen, Madison Henry, Catherine Semaan and Myl Lauc continued Jen’s efforts through a senior project.
“Time is constrained during the school year,” Jen said. “To get the most out of a project like this, you need to have almost double the amount of time.”
Over the last two quarters, the five students have built off of the foundation established from the BiCEP project. Many competing prototypes use a ball-and-socket design, whereas their 3D-printed model draws on natural anatomy dimensions, according to Henry.
“You can really see how each person’s contributions have come to life and made this project what it is,” Semaan said. “One of the best parts about being in a larger group is that we all have so much to offer, and because of that, we’ve really been able to go far.”
Despite the 30 cumulative weeks spent developing the biomimetic intervertebral disc replacement, more development will be needed before it can be patented, tested, approved by the FDA and used in medical settings, according to Semaan.
“This is going to be inside someone for a long period, so we need to make sure the materials we use and how it’s implanted are safe for people,” Semaan said.
The seniors were unable to afford titanium endplates and more sophisticated design qualities due to their project budget, according to Henry. In the hospital, BiCEP participants also had to consider cost when making their prototypes.
Ventilators, which help patients with struggling lungs breathe properly, save patients from invasive practices that cause sore throats and infections. However, the expense makes ventilators hard to access for smaller hospitals like Adventist Health, according to Jen.
“Physicians will use what they have and kind of throw things together,” Jen said. “A lot of devices that do solve those problems are super expensive.”
IMPROVING PATIENT CARE AND WORKFLOW
In the ICU, flipping patients on their stomachs may be normal, but it often isn’t easy. Joshua Olsen
observed up to nine nurses working in tandem to flip ill patients onto their stomach to increase their oxygen levels.
Not only does the flipping process pose injury risk to the patients, but it interrupts the hospital work flow and means an hour of lost time, according to Olsen.
Olsen and his project partner Vincent Pecoraro began constructing a large, mechanical contraption that could attach to an ICU hospital bed and flip the patient without needing excessive human force.
“The technological side of healthcare is very underdeveloped, and that was just kind of shocking to see how much there is needed to be done,” Olsen said.
Olsen prototyped his design in Solidworks and worked with wood
and cables to begin simulating. Biomedical engineering students worked on the design, presenting the PronusLift at the biomedical engineering senior project showcase.
“Having the clinical experience that most people don’t get to see in their lifetime was pretty amazing,” Olsen said.
THE FUTURE OF BICEP
When Gallo observed a hip replacement surgery, she discovered an odd correlation; between her BiCEP partner, the anesthesiologist, the doctor and one of the medical assistants, they all had majored in biomedical engineering at Cal Poly. BiCEP is funded through this upcoming summer, marking the fifth year of the program and an
end to their five-year grant from the National Institute of Health.
After fundraising, they hope to expand the program to multiple hospitals, which would provide more students with an opportunity to participate. They are currently recruiting for the upcoming summer, said Heylman.
One of the most rewarding parts of BiCEP was being behind-the-scenes and seeing how engineered devices made an impact in the medical field, according to Jen.
“Sometimes, we get lost in the classes we’re taking and don’t actually know what we’re doing it for,” Olsen said. “To see an actual impact is eye-opening and important.”
KIMBER DRAUGHON | MUSTANG NEWS
Savannah Fujimoto, Clana Villar and Edward Barba present the retained placenta removal device at the biomedical engineering senior project showcase.
KIMBER DRAUGHON | MUSTANG NEWS
Seniors Connor Lopes, Nicholas Do and Aarnav Shah tested the PronusLift prototype on volunteer students.
THE MELTING POT
Cal Poly Men’s Basketball had eight international players this past season, the second-most in NCAA Division I. With representation from every habitable continent, the roster presented unique advantages and challenges as both the coaches and players learned to work together.
STORY BY TY SORIA & DYLAN ALLEN
DESIGNED BY AVIV KESAR
Hamad Mousa planted his foot on the hardwood, rose off the ground and launched a three-point shot over his defender’s fingertips towards the basket.
The shot bounced off the rim, but Guzman Vasilic — another one of Cal Poly’s eight international players — raced to the ball and collected the rebound.
“Look at Guz!” said Kyle Bossier, Cal Poly’s assistant coach. “He’s like a defensive end on a bull rush!”
The sophomore guard from Montevideo, Uruguay heard the comment, but had no idea what it meant.
“If you make a baseball reference, they have no idea,” Head Coach Mike DeGeorge said. “If you make a football reference, they have no idea. The players have no idea about anything American football.”
DeGeorge, who built a roster with eight international players — the second-most in all of NCAA Division I — underwent major changes to his coaching style to lead a team balancing several different native languages into the Big West Championships this past March.
Although the Mustangs’ postseason hopes came to a quick end in the first round of the conference tournament on March 11, the roster overcame a mountain of challenges to find success at various points during the season.
HOW MISCOMMUNICATIONS
AFFECT GAMES
Over 33 games this year, the Mustangs’ offense had 501 turnovers — the highest amount of turnovers
in the Big West, and 54 more than the team with the second-most. This led to them averaging approximately three less possessions per game than their opponents, which matters when games come down to the wire.
One of the biggest challenges that led to so many turnovers is the constant noise inside basketball arenas, which has a direct impact on how well the international players can hear.
Crowds, student sections, cheerleaders, opposing coaches and players — they are usually all yelling. This plays a factor when English isn’t the first language for the international players.
“If you have a grandfather or someone that doesn’t hear as well with background noise, they just don’t pick much up,” he said. “It’s kind of the same with a second language.”
Sophomore forward Mousa acknowledged the language barrier, but said it doesn’t play as much of a factor on the court as DeGeorge mentioned, to which other players agreed. Once they’re on the court, Mousa says “it’s just basketball.”
“Most of the basketball terms are used in every other language,” the Qatari native said.
While the players had no trouble understanding their assignments on the court, DeGeorge saw communication problems from a different perspective.
Some admitted to DeGeorge that they think in their native language and then translate it into English to process and speak, creating a split-second communication delay.
Communication delays lead to less overall awareness on the court and smaller windows to react to situations.
“When you think about a game of reaction, that’s a big challenge,” DeGeorge said. “We need that communication to be timely.”
With Cal Poly playing the fastest adjusted tempo in Division I basketball, the factor of split-second communication delays became much more prominent.
According to KenPom, Cal Poly played the fastest adjusted tempo in the entire country last season, averaging 74 possessions per 40 minutes. Cal State Northridge, another Big West squad, was right behind them at 73.6.
On defense, the Mustangs gave up more total points and points per game than any other team in the Big West. While playing at a fast tempo naturally gives the other team more possessions, constantly giving up points made it harder for the offense to catch up.
These defensive issues have always been apparent, but the Mustangs did improve over the course of the season.
Their opponents averaged 85 points-per-game the entire season, but in seven of their final 10 games, Cal Poly allowed less than 80 points. Two of those seven games included capping the high-powered offenses of Big West conference finalists Hawaii and UC Irvine.
BUILDING THE ROSTER
After 10 straight losing seasons, Cal Poly brought in DeGeorge from Colorado Mesa University, a program that made the Division II Sweet 16 in 2024.
While DeGeorge had a hand in recruiting, he needed global coaches to create a global team.
MUSTANG NEWS SPORTS SCAN TO WATCH THE FULL DOC
DYLAN ALLEN | MUSTANG NEWS
Cal Poly Head Coach Mike DeGeorge led the team to 10 conference wins this past season, which was their most in 12 years.
DYLAN ALLEN | MUSTANG NEWS
Sophomore guard Hamad Mousa, from Doha, Qatar, led the conference in scoring at 20.4 points per game.
Assistant Coach Ron Dubois, who DeGeorge has known since 2010, is one of them.
Dubois, who has coached in Mexico, France, Antigua and Barbuda, and most recently, Uruguay, has created a worldwide web of connections. He’s spent time in the NBA, the NBA’s G League, NCAA Divisions I and III and multiple stops internationally.
DuBois specializes in recruiting evaluations, opponent scouting and
Jess Esso Essis, the freshman from France listed at 6-foot-10, shot the ball beyond the arc 29 times out of 42 attempts.
While he only appeared in seven games, he shot 41.4% from three, the most efficient on the team.
“His potential is unlimited,” DeGeorge said. “For him to give us what he’s been giving us is great.”
The positionless and fast-paced system under DeGeorge proved itself over the course of the season. The
DEGEORGE’S SYSTEM LEADS CAL POLY BACK TO THE POSTSEASON
In the positionless system, everyone must be able to shoot three-pointers efficiently. Even
their development as both basketball players and people.
“I feel like we came a long way,” Mousa said after their tournament loss to UC San Diego. “I’m just so proud of these guys and feel like they’re family to me. They’ll be brothers for life.”
ELLA ERDEM & OMAR SANCHEZ | KCPR ART TEAM
Taking inspiration from NBA 2K and retro video game aesthetics, these cards are seen in the video documentary.
Every student should vote in ASI elections, they impact us more than we think
The ASI President and Board of Directors directly influence students because they operate a budget funded entirely through student fees
NICOLE YEE | MUSTANG NEWS
OPINION BY KAYLIE WANG DESIGNED BY ANIKA LOGANATHAN
Kaylie Wang is an English sophomore and the assistant opinion editor for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
I didn’t vote at the ASI elections last April because I didn’t know anything about the ASI President or Board of Directors. Honestly, I didn’t even start learning about what ASI leaders do until I sat down to write this article.
I’m not alone in opting out of voting in ASI elections. While voter turnout for ASI elections has increased over the past few years, only a fraction of the student body votes.
ASI directly impacts student lives, more than we think — elected leaders represent us, decide how to use our student fees and help us succeed.
WHAT ARE ASI ELECTION?
Students elect next year’s ASI President and Board of Directors by voting through their Cal Poly portal or the ASI website. The two-day ASI election window will be open from April 21 at 8 a.m. to April 23 at 8 p.m.
WHAT DOES THE ASI PRESIDENT DO?
The ASI President is the only elected at-large student leader at Cal Poly. They serve for the fiscal year as the official ASI representative to the university and the general public, according to ASI’s website. They work with the university, city and state leaders to represent student interests by providing input regarding corporate operations and student advocacy.
WHAT DO THE ASI BOARD OF DIRECTORS DO?
The ASI Board of Directors consists of representatives from each academic college. The 24 elected positions serve as the official voice of Cal Poly students for student advocacy and ASI corporate activity, according to ASI’s website. The Board of Directors establish policies and parameters for the affairs, properties, personnel and operations of ASI, in addition to representing students at a campus, city, state and federal level.
Here’s why every student should vote in the ASI elections happening this month.
ASI’S BUDGET
COMES OUT OF YOUR POCKETS
Even if you aren’t casting a vote for a particular candidate, you will be financially supporting the ASI President and other leaders through student fees. Mandatory ASI and UU student fees in our tuition fund the ASI budget, which includes compensating ASI employees. Students spent a total of $388.85 on ASI and UU fees combined in the fall quarter of 2025. About $2 of these fees per student going towards the scholarships, according to ASI’s website.
The ASI President’s scholarship award pays for 100% of their education and living expenses. The only form of compensation for six of the ASI leading positions is the Student Leader scholarship, which are awards that help pay for up to all of the leader’s cost of education and
What isn’t fair is that over half of the student body is not even voting in the elections and deciding who will receive a full-ride scholarship.
A randomized survey conducted by Mustang News last year showed 67% of students did not know about this funding, so I think more students would be encouraged to vote if they knew ASI’s budget and compensation comes straight from our pockets.
Just as we are paying tuition for a good education from our university, we are paying ASI student leaders to support our experience. We are making a financial investment in ASI by paying them to help us succeed, so all students should take an interest in ASI elections to feel confident they are using the budget in our best interest.
ADVOCATING ON OUR BEHALF
The ASI President and Board of Directors are considered the official voice of the student body, so it’s important we feel confident in the
confronted university leaders about Cal Poly’s use of Flock Safety cameras in response to student backlash. ASI President Marc Cabeliza redirected the conversation during an unrelated town hall meeting to speak about this topic, where he and members of the ASI Board of Directors were able to ask George Hughes, assistant vice President of public safety, whether there would be a future public meeting about the cameras. A member of ASI even added that students “would appreciate a seat at the table where these decisions are made.”
I appreciated ASI’s redirection of the meeting to discuss the Flock cameras, and I realized this demonstrates the authority elected leaders have in addressing student concerns. Not every student has the time or interest to meet with Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong regularly and discuss student concerns, which is why we should trust the ASI elected leaders to effectively speak on our behalf.
Just as if they were any politicians
serve as our official representatives. Greater student engagement — researching issues, following campaigns and voting — shows ASI leaders we are paying attention.
ASI also has the power to advocate for students by partnering with the university to design initiatives to improve student life. This year, they partnered with Cal Poly Health and Wellbeing to install the new medical vending machines and launch the free grocery shuttle service, which was a key component of Cabeliza’s campaign, according to past coverage by Mustang News.
I was truly impressed by the grocery shuttle service because the lack of convenient transportation options to grocery stores without a car was incredibly frustrating. I wished I had a resource like this last year, and I wish I voted and pushed for these transportation options.
I feel hopeful after seeing this service come to fruition about what’s possible when ASI responds to student concerns. If students never
much more of an important role. ASI represents and serves a much bigger student population and is operating with a budget of over $15.8 million in student fee revenue and net operating expenses this year, according to ASI’s website.
Not voting in these elections is not good practice for post-college civic engagement. Staying well informed and involved locally can help us practice community engagement in what feels like a lower-stakes environment.
Your voice matters, everywhere. Not just at the national elections, but even at the most local level, whether that’s filling out course evaluations or electing ASI officers.
Even though my time at this university is temporary, I spend more time here than I do at home, so it’s my permanent residence. I’m sure many students can relate, so we should all care more about improving this community to enjoy the rest of our time here and for the future students.
While the state of the world can feel incredibly discouraging, even for a
ing our local community can feel empowering. Whether our leaders work at the University Union or the White House, voting is one way to show our elected leaders we are engaged and we care and to hold
Voting is only the first of many ways you can make your voice heard on campus. ASI officers constantly represent the ever-changing needs and interests of students, so staying involved can help them accurately
whelming. In the meantime, you
age from Mustang News, including a candidate endorsement from the
jdawg says: act nonchalant
spring flings and job fairs are here, chill out
satire by jdawg designed by anika loganathan
jdawg says is a satirical advice column written by a mustang news staff member. this content is intended to be satirical and does not necessarily represent the views of mustang news.
i’ve been watching the jfk jr. and carolyn bassette show and listening to faye webster through wired headphones. i’ve been trying so hard to mog that my jaw is getting stiff. i came to the realization that i need to calm down.
a little crush and the impending doom of unemployment have me in shambles — even jdawg is sometimes a tweak twink. so this list is for us all: cut the lust, shred that cover letter and act a little more nonchalant.
don’t answer any question ever
“oh, jdawg, what class are you running to?” i can’t tell you that. “are you coming tonight?” not sure. “what song are you listening to, jdawg?” it’s pretty underground. “jdawg?” *shrug* this way no one knows anything about you, which, knowing you, is probably for the best.
absolutely no capitals
turning off auto caps when you were 15 was the best thing you did for yourself. there’s something romantic about a linkedin with no capital letters or punctuation. using capitals is the first step to becoming a boomer bot, avoid them at all costs.
don’t respond for 36 hours
36 hours minimum. whether it’s the guy your roommates are telling you to shut up about or the hiring manager at your dream company, let their message simmer. looking desperate is not going to make him more interested or change the mind of julia in human resources. go dnd and forget timeliness.
bed left unmade
clothes slightly wrinkly because they sat in a basket for a few days. hair undone because you woke up four minutes before you had to leave. no reason to make your bed every morning in these nonchalant times.
live at 2%
shoes get untied, screens get cracked and skin gets cancer. live life like you’re on low power mode — and keep your phone next to dead. there’s nothing more nonchalant than always needing to be next to a wall socket because you never charge your phone at night.
walk with no urgency
they will wait for you while you meander down the street. blue jeans and rainbows is the nonchalant uniform, but you gotta match your vibe to the fit. small steps, knees bent and you’re on your way, slowly.
