Recent News
WLC's Winter Quarter Highlight
Mar 13, 2025
This past Winter Quarter, we were honored to celebrate Black History Month by hosting Fred Kuwornu for a screening of his film We Were Here. Kuwornu is an Afro-Italian and U.S. multi-hyphenate socially engaged artist, filmmaker, and scholar based in New York. His work bridges the past and present, exploring identity and race through the historical remixing of archival materials. Kuwornu's films have been exhibited at the 60th Venice Art Biennale (2024), the Museum of Moving Image (NY), the Library of Congress, and various international film festivals.
Kuwornu screened We Were Here: The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe, which was exhibited in the Central Pavilion, directed by Adriano Pedrosa, at the 60th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale. The film sheds light on the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe, highlighting their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists. The film raises important questions: How did they come to Europe? Were they truly all servants or enslaved people? If the Black faces in these Renaissance masterpieces could speak, what would they tell us?
Following the screening, Kuwornu hosted a Q&A-style lecture here at Cal Poly, where he engaged in important conversations with students. One student, Vito De Luca, noted that they thought the film “did an amazing job highlighting the presence of African people in Europe during the Renaissance, and how their involvement was of cultural importance in shaping our understanding of European religions.” Through this conversation, De Luca shared that they left with a “better perspective on the history of religion in Europe” and a greater understanding of how many different cultures impacted it.
For more information on Fred Kuwornu and his film We Were Here, please visit https://www.wewereherethefilm.com.
Dolores Huerta
Mar 11, 2025
Dolores Huerta is an activist best known for her role in advocating for the rights of farm workers. Growing up, Dolores witnessed the struggles of working-class families in marginalized communities. Throughout her social activist journey, she co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) union, which allowed her to play a pivotal role in advocating for better working conditions and securing labor rights for farm workers. In doing this, she helped highlight the intersection of labor rights and gender rights, as many farm workers were women.
She has received numerous awards and honors in recognition of her lifelong dedication to social justice, labor rights, and advocacy. In 2012, she received the Frances Perkins Award, a prestigious honor for labor leadership. In 2003, she received the Hispanic Heritage Award for Leadership as she advanced the rights of many Hispanic and Latino communities. Lastly, in 2008, Huerta accepted the Women's Rights Award, recognizing the impact of advancing women's rights in the labor movement and social justice. We are so grateful to have had her visit Cal Poly several times and deliver inspirational speeches as well.
Throughout her career, she demonstrated how women could be powerful agents of change. As an advocate for women's rights, Huerta worked to elevate the role of women in leadership positions. She emphasized the importance of women's voices in shaping the future everywhere. "Sí, se puede" was Huerta's most iconic contribution, demonstrating the legacy women can create. Dolores Huerta has been a role model for women striving to create change. Her legacy continues to inspire activists and leaders around the world.
YES showing
Mar 3, 2025
Come on Thursday to see the film YES, a short film that touches on topics of immigration, resilience, and hope.
A Q&A will be held after the film.
ATL, Building 7
Thursday, March 6 from 2:00-4:00pm
We hope you can make it!
Film Screening and Guest Lecture with Director Fred Kuwornu
Feb 12, 2025
Friday, February 21st at 5:00 PM
Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering,
Building 8, Room: 123
We Were Here – The Untold History of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe examines the overlooked presence of African and Black individuals in Renaissance Europe and their depiction in masterpieces by some of the era’s most celebrated artists, raising critical questions.
"From Student to Global Intern" by Nicole Troy
Feb 3, 2025
Students in our department are doing amazing things! Third year student Nico Julia had the internship experience of a lifetime last summer at the French Embassy in Serbia. Julia took on a variety of tasks throughout his time at the French Embassy and credits how his Cal Poly courses prepared him for this role. Read more about Nico here:
https://cla.calpoly.edu/student-global-intern
Marty Kaliski: Living by “Learn by Doing”
Jan 22, 2025
By Kelsi Amini
Marty Kaliski has been an integral part of Cal Poly since 1986, where he served nine years as Department Chair in the Electrical Engineering Department. Despite his engineering roots, Marty is a great advocate for lifelong learning, especially when it comes to mastering new languages.
After studying French in high school, Marty decided fifty years later to pursue his interests in other languages. Since then, he has taken many, many courses offered at Cal Poly, in the World Languages and Cultures Department. This decision sparked an incredible journey of language learning.
Marty holds four degrees from M.I.T., including bachelor's degrees in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering, a Master’s, and a PhD. in Electrical Engineering. Yet, his academic journey has yet to end. He thrives on the structure of being a student, and says that being surrounded by ambitious young people is inspiring, despite his ambivalence about group projects.
Over the past three years, Marty has taken on the monumental task of reading the entire Harry Potter series in German, completing a chapter a week, over three thousand pages long. His progress is supported by a “book club” with near native German speakers, underscoring his disciplined and collaborative approach to learning. He emphasizes, “Force yourself to read and write—it’s the only way to keep languages alive.” In a world obsessed with instant gratification, Marty demonstrates that learning is a lifelong pursuit that includes patience and dedication.
In 2022, Marty’s passion was recognized with the World Languages and Cultures Passionfruit Award (Honorable Mention) for his dedication to lifelong learning.
Marty’s commitment to language learning also shines in personal moments. When his son married in Taipei, Taiwan in 2019, Marty addressed 200 guests in Mandarin Chinese, delivering a short, but heartfelt speech. He says, “Value learning languages—you never know when you may need them!”
To date, Marty has completed an astounding twenty-six language courses within the World Languages and Cultures Department, reaching intermediate to advanced levels of fluency in each language he has studied. Through his enthusiasm and dedication, Marty exemplifies Cal Poly's motto of “Learn by Doing,” proving that the journey of education never truly ends.
Winter Career Fair Employers for College of Liberal Arts Students
Jan 21, 2025
The campus wide all-major Winter Career Fair is coming up soon, taking place on Tuesday, January 28 and Wednesday January 29 at the Rec Center, Building 43. Doors open for students at 10:00am and the event concludes at 3:00pm both days. There will be nearly 100 employers and organizations over the two days on campus, recruiting students from all majors.
Career Services is conducting a number of events to assist students with career fair preparation, including:
- Resume and cover letter workshop on Thursday, January 23 2025 at 5:10 PM, Building 124 - Room 117
- Career fair navigation workshop for first year students on Monday, January 27 2025 at 11:00 AM, Building 124 - Room 117
- Career fair preparation drop in for Students with Dependents and Guardian Scholars on Thursday, January 23 2025 from 2:00 PM to 6:00PM, Building 124 - Room 117
- Resume review drop in at in at La Casa, on Thursday, January 23 2025 from 11:00 AM to 1:00PM, Building 52, Room E-22 and E-23
- Resume review drop in with APIDA at the Multicultural Center, on Tuesday, January 21 2025, from 1:00 PM to 3:00PM, Building 65, Room 111F
Future workshops on applying for federal jobs and internships, navigating the job and internship search, networking, and building a LinkedIn profile for beginners.
Additionally, the organizations below have either expressed interest in hiring College of Liberal Arts students, have expressed interest in hiring from all disciplines, and/or have open positions that are relevant to CLA students.
At the fair both days
Caltrans HQ
Collabera
Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County, Inc.
County of Santa Barbara
Epic
GALLO
Insight Global
Keyence
SIL Language Technology
United States Marine Corps Officer Programs
At the fair Tuesday only
Beacon Hill Staffing
Breakthru Beverage Group
4 Creeks
AAA NCNU
Imerys
JT4
Jackson Family Wines
Techtronic Industries
Mission Springs Conference Center & Frontier Ranch Youth Camp
At the fair Wednesday only
Imperative Care, Inc.
More opportunities:
JOB OPPORTUNITY
The CalFresh Outreach (CFO) team is hiring! This is a fantastic opportunity for students, especially for those passionate about community nutrition and mitigating food insecurity. Students of all majors are welcome and encouraged to apply! The CFO internship is an unpaid, quarter-long commitment of ~5 hours per week. Interns will learn the ins-and-outs of CalFresh eligibility criteria, federal and state legislation that impacts CalFresh, how to support their peers through application assistance appointments, and much, much more! After one quarter, our interns are offered a paid position as a CalFresh coordinator.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, 1/22 at 11:59pm. See below for the application link. Students can reach out to Liv (ojwatts@calpoly.edu) directly with any questions.
Día De Los Muertos
Oct 24, 2024
El Día de Muertos es un día en el que nuestros seres queridos fallecidos regresan para pasar un día en espíritu y se celebra del 1 al 2 de noviembre. Tradicionalmente, los altares se hacen y decoran bellamente con adornos que nuestros seres queridos solían disfrutar haciendo en vida tambien con sus comidas favoritas. Aquí en el Wold Language and Culture Center tenemos nuestro propio altar con fotografías de nuestros seres queridos listo para el 2 de noviembre. Si desea traer una foto de su ser querido, puede hacerlo El último día para llevar una fotografía u ofrenda al altar es el jueves 31 de octubre a las 12:00 de la tarde. ¡Esperamos que pases por aquí!
Day of the Dead is a day where our departed loved ones return for a day in spirit. It is celebrated on November 1st-November 2nd.Traditionally altars are made and beautifully decorated with ornaments that our loved ones used to enjoy to do in life, along with their favorite foods. Here at the World Language and Cultures Department we have our own altar set up with photos of our departed loved ones ready for November 2nd. If you would like to bring a photo of your loved one who has departed, you are welcome to. We are located in Building 47, Room 28. The last day to bring a photo or offering to the altar is Thursday October 31st at 12pm. We hope you stop by!
In Touch with WLC News
Sep 22, 2023
April 24, 2024 News
Cal Poly students Araceli Aronin (Biomedical Engineering Major, Minor in Spanish) and Andrea Valle (Communication Studies Major; Minor in Sales and Spanish) triumphed at Legados - San Luis Obispo 2024!
Their 1st place victory marks the culmination of the sixth annual Spanish-language civic debate cycle, an achievement that speaks volumes about their dedication and capabilities.
This year's fiercely competitive event welcomed students from Cal Poly and the esteemed CETYS University to explore the theme of Agricultural Sustainability. Participants were tasked with identifying the primary barriers obstructing the adoption of sustainable/restorative agriculture in California. Additionally, students were challenged to propose actionable measures for governmental bodies at different levels, while also contemplating the role Mexico should undertake in tackling these challenges.
The innovative case presented by Araceli and Andrea highlighted the critical barrier of knowledge deficiency. Their proposed solution, an educational campaign in schools leveraging partnerships with emerging social media influencers, showcased both creativity and practicality. Araceli and Andrea’s case garnered success against a diverse panel of expert judges, including Larry Jacobs and Maricela Adrian from Jacobs Farms/Del Cabo, business leader Francisco Ramirez, and Dr. Neal MacDougall in Ag Business.
Such accomplishments underscore the caliber of talent and dedication within our campus community. But their great success is also possible through the dedicated community of faculty and staff that support student success! A huge thank you to Dr. Neal MacDougall for judging this event! And special thanks to Dr. Victoria Zamora, Lu Arocho, Dr. Fernando Sánchez and all the other faculty and staff who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to mentor and prepare students for these tournaments during much of the academic year.
Please join me in extending our heartfelt congratulations to Araceli and Andrea for their outstanding achievement, and to all students, faculty and staff whose dedication and guidance have empowered our students to achieve these remarkable feats.
#Legados2024 #LearnbyDebating #Sustainability #Innovation
April 11, 2024 News
Nicole Mullikin (MLL 2015) named 2023 recipient of the Women Lawyers Association of San Luis Obispo County’s “Rising Star” award!
Cal Poly Debaters win at Legados -- Mexico, 2024 Debate Tournament
The Cal Poly Debate Team is ecstatic to announce the outstanding success of Alejandro Valentín Martinez (Spanish Major; Minor in History) and Andrea Valle (Communication Studies Major; Minor in Sales and Spanish) who emerged as the champions of the Legados -- Mexico 2024 Debate Tournament in Mexicali on March 15th, 2024.
Their victory was not just a testament to their exceptional debating skills but also to their innovative proposal aimed at tackling a pressing issue of urban sustainability in Mexico. Andrea and Alejandro advocated for the implementation of cutting-edge technologies, akin to those utilized by C.A.R.B. (California Air Resources Board), to identify sectors most impacted by targeted public transit. Their proposal seeks to reduce dependence on "carros chocolates" in cities across Baja California, offering a sustainable solution for the future.
Their dedication, intellect, and commitment to feasible change truly shone throughout the tournament, earning them well-deserved recognition and acclaim. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Andrea Valle and Alejandro Valentín Martinez for this remarkable achievement, and we eagerly anticipate witnessing their continued success on their journey ahead!
We also look forward to the 6th annual Spanish-language Civic Debate Legados — USA, on April 13th at 10:00 AM. This tournament asks students to identify and solve urgent barriers to the implementation of sustainable and restorative agricultural practices in California. In addition, we ask students to identify what Mexico can do to collaborate in this solution.
We invite the community of Cal Poly to join us in 65-220, on April 13 at 10:00 AM.
CLTA Summer Strand applications open: “Become a Teacher: Be a Change Agent”
World Languages Summer Seminar .
Dates: July 19-24 at UC Santa Barbara
Application due date: May 15, 2024
The College of Liberal Arts is delighted to share that student applications for the 2024 CLA Summer Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity Program (SURP) are now open! Sixteen amazing projects are available, and we are seeking to recruit 25 students. Check out the CLA SURP website to learn more: https://cla.calpoly.edu/2024-SURP
If selected, you will have the opportunity to
- work side-by-side with Cal Poly faculty
- get hands-on experience
- create new knowledge to help us see the world in new ways
- answer real-world questions and contribute to solutions to problems that face the Central Coast, California, the U.S. and the world
- make a difference!
Applications are due by end of day on Monday, April 22, 2024.
An Information Session will be held on Monday, April 15 at 9:10-10am via Zoom, Meeting ID 770 101 3932.
More information
- CLA students can apply to up to 3 CLA SURP projects.
- Selected CLA SURP students will receive a financial award of $3,500 to support their engagement and participation in this opportunity. This will be processed through Financial Aid. Please note that this is a fellowship, not employment, and is undocufriendly.
- Some projects can be virtual; others require at least some in-person availability. Please contact the faculty mentor(s) listed to learn more if modality is not clear to you in the project description.
Please email Dr. Lehr at jlehr@calpoly.edu with any questions. You may also attend Dr. Lehr’s drop-in office hours via Zoom as listed here: https://tinyurl.com/Lehr-Spring2024. Zoom Meeting ID 945 5392 5396, Passcode: 736298. As available, you can also make a calendly appointment: https://calendly.com/janelehr/15min.
March 6, 2024 News
In Memoriam: Sofia Padoan
The World Languages & Cultures Department joins the family and friends of Sofia Padoan in grieving the tragic passing of this remarkable young woman. Sofia was a third-year nutrition major and Italian studies minor from Walnut Creek, California. She was president of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and an active member of the Italian Cultural Association, Nutrition Club, and Spanish Club. Sofia took five classes with Teresiana, from ITAL 101 to WLC 310, excelling in all of them. She was beloved by her classmates and the other club members and will be greatly missed.
February 15, 2024 News
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Upcoming Events & Activities
Sep 22, 2023
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As Seen in In Touch with WLC April 24, 2024
