Message from Dean Theodoropoulos

Winter Quarter, 2013

I am experiencing an exciting year of discovery.  Discovery of the amazing talents and achievements of the CAED’s students and faculty; discovery of the traditions and qualities that make Cal Poly one of the best universities in the nation; and discovery of the uniqueness of each of the college’s distinguished academic programs where learning by doing transforms the built environment.

For the 20th straight year, Cal Poly was rated the best public master’s university in the West by U.S. News & World Report. The CAED’s programs continue to be recognized for excellence, garnering top placements in independent rankings of professional schools.

Every day students make their creative mark with work that spills out of our studios into galleries, construction sites, and communities. Every month there is news of our students winning awards from national professional organizations. Last fall more than 1,000 visitors from the furniture design industry and general public were dazzled by the students’ innovative entries for the Vellum Furniture Competition organized by our Architecture Department.

CAED faculty are leading important dialogs about the built environment and environmental design education. The California Climate Action Planning Conference presented by the City and Regional Planning Department is preparing community leaders for the technical and political facets of regional climate change. The annual international conference of the Associated Schools of Construction, hosted by the Construction Management Department, will examine the educational implications of virtual design and construction technologies. The 40th anniversary celebration of the founding of our Landscape Architecture Program will reflect on the past, present and future of landscape architecture education and scholarship. 

Helping to support our students, CAED alumni continue to inspire. Many thanks to alumni who volunteered for Mustang Mentoring's student-to-professional networking sessions. We recently celebrated the renovation of one of the college’s largest event spaces with the KTGY Group who joined us to dedicate the gallery. Jack Berridge, Architectural Engineering Class of 1959, received the college's Honored Alumnus Award for his innovations in architectural metals design and fabrication. And, John P. Shoals, City and Regional Planning Class of 1987, gave a keynote speech on leadership in community planning at our winter commencement ceremony.

Our college and department websites are filled with inspiring news about our talented community.  Enjoy!

Christine Theodoropoulos, AIA, PE