Student Affairs Wins Catalyst Award for Innovative Cal Poly Now Paths Program

SAN LUIS OBISPO — Cal Poly Student Affairs staff have been named winners of the Catalyst Award for Student Experience for the Paths initiative, launched in fall 2023 to all incoming students.

The annual Catalyst Awards, announced in July by Anthology, honor those driving innovation and excellence within higher education. Student Affairs was recognized at the Anthology Together conference, held July 15-17 in Florida.

Paths, a tool within Student Affairs’ Cal Poly Now website and app, was designed to boost student engagement through immersive, out-of-classroom experiences that would also equip students with practical skills essential for success in the global workforce.

“Paths is part of a multi-year effort to create more impactful, supportive and intentional co-curricular experiences for students that further enhance their Learn by Doing experience,” Vice President for Student Affairs Keith B. Humphrey said.

In this first phase of Paths, first-year and new transfer students started their journey by completing two Paths: Get Started and First-Year Success.

In the Get Started Path, new students completed a skills assessment, called the Index, to delve into six key areas: self-awareness, sense of belonging, change behavior, collaboration, curiosity, and purpose. Student Affairs formed a strategic partnership with the Center for Expanding Leadership and Opportunity (CELO) to offer the opportunity, which provided students with a roadmap for leadership development.

Then, new students could select from a variety of co-curricular experiences that helped to grow their noncognitive skills, such as resilience, self-awareness and collaboration, that lead to success in the college careers and beyond.

Of the 6,100 new students in fall 2023, about 68% completed the Index assessment, and about 40% engaged with the First-Year Success Path, where they could join clubs, participate in service opportunities, become familiar with the campus and local community, and explore additional learning and leadership opportunities.

Student Affairs is working on an updated Path for new students in fall 2024.