Cal Poly welcomes thousands of students, parents for Open House. Here’s a look
Thousands of students and their parents descended on Cal Poly’s campus this weekend for the university’s annual Open House.
Newly admitted students, prospective students, parents and alumni got a taste of the school’s clubs, programs and overall vibe at a series of events that culminated in the Campus Showcase on Saturday.
Clubs like Cal Poly’s Salsa Club joined forces with the Country Line Dancing Club for a line dance. Students previewed San Luis Obispo’s famed Farmers Market Thursday night, getting a taste for life off-campus. And a Saturday parade featured different floats and performances.
Cal Poly’s Open House has been a “great opportunity” to welcome students and give them a chance to see the full breadth of what the school has to offer, said Cal Poly’s director of communications for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences AnnMarie Cornejo in an email.
Parents have ‘nothing but good to say’ about their kids going to Cal Poly
The Tribune spoke to parents to hear what they had to say about their kids becoming a Mustang this fall.
“I think it’s fantastic. It’s a great school,” said Greg Ouzouniam, whose youngest son, Anthony, will be enrolled in Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business this fall. “Nothing but good to say.”
Ouzouniam said that Anthony will initially start out in the industrial technology and packaging program but may move around.
Ouzouniam said that his nephew came from Brazil to study architecture in a summer program seven years ago. Now, the family’s journey has come “full circle” with Anthony studying at the same school.
“I think there’s enough breadth and depth of areas of concentration within the (College) of Business across the board, that he can kind of find his path and excel at it,” Ouzouniam said.
Maralee Velasco, who lives near Santa Ynez, said she’s really excited for her daughter’s future at Cal Poly.
Velasco told The Tribune that her mother had three daughters. One child from each of those daughters has gone Cal Poly, with Velasco’s daughter Ava most recently joining that line.
Velasco said that Ava has been interested in agricultural-related fields given the family’s roots in Santa Ynez and Denmark, both areas of the world with warm climates that make ranching and agriculture appealing.
“We’re surrounded by grapes in our area,” Velasco said, adding that Ava has considered studying viticulture.
“You know what I tell her? ‘Your path is your path, and you’re gonna figure it out,’” Velasco said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Poly Royal Rodeo draws over 2,000 people in sold-out show
The evenings at Open House have capped by the Poly Royal Rodeo, which has been a big hit during Open House festivities, as prospective students and their families want to get a taste of life as a Mustang, Cornejo said.
Bareback, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding drew a crowd of 2,200 people to the rodeo Friday night, according to Cornejo.
That same crowd size was expected for Saturday night’s finale, as both nights sold out, Cornejo said.
Friday was admitted students’ day, according to a page on the university’s website that included a rundown of the weekend events.
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and other co-chairs and campus leaders first welcomed students. That was followed by a resource fair and other sessions about financial aid, diversity and social life.
Saturday started with a parade with different floats and performances and a showcase of the school’s 300 various clubs and organizations.
Open House was set to conclude Saturday evening with the rodeo finale at the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex on campus, according to the Cal Poly’s website.
This story was originally published April 12, 2025 at 4:29 PM.
