College Awards
Honoring Excellence
Award Descriptions & Recipients
The Julian A. McPhee Outstanding Student Scholar Award is given to the college valedictorian, who is recognized at commencement.
Past Honorees
2025 – Camille McCurry, Wenshin Tao
2024 - Pia Spors
2023 - Jillian Henson
2022 - Candace Downing
2021 - Breanne Carey
2020 - Courteney Welch
2019 – Sarah Caballero
2018 – Rose Gabrielle Mendez
2017 – Ellen Tang
2016 – Scott Rosas
2015 – Madeline E. Gross, Michaiah J. Leal
2014 – DawnKylee Klarich
2013 - Rachel Broguiere
2012 - Samantha Hammergren
2011 - Jeannie Knuchell
2010 - Leo Holguin
2009 - Amanda Jean Spikerman
2008 - Jenna Becker
2007 - Alison Marie Flanagan
2006 - William Jolley
The John E. Andrews Student Leader of the Year Award is given each year to an undergraduate and graduate student for scholarship, service, and contributions to others, including fellow students, their departments and respective industries, and the community.
Past Honorees
2025 – Alicia Valle (undergraduate); Hadis Rezaei (graduate)
2024 - Michelle Baggett (undergraduate); Myunggyo "Emily" Yu (graduate)
2023 - Ashley Castro (undergraduate); Zhe Jane Zhang (graduate)
2022 - Jacqueline Thach (undergraduate); Irma Villanueva (graduate)
2021 - Shubham Malani (undergraduate); Sarah Caballero (graduate)
2020 - Viral Shukla (undergraduate); Franciela Garcia (graduate)
2019 – Mariana Garcia Rocha (undergraduate); Heidi Holmquist (graduate)
2018 – Joseph Wolf (undergraduate); Oscar Del Real (graduate)
2017 – Branden Garner (undergraduate); Andy Reynaga (graduate)
2016 – Brett Timmons (undergraduate); Bec McDorman (graduate)
2015 – Aasta Yim (undergraduate)
2014 – John Bennett (undergraduate); Nannette Ros (graduate)
2013 - Rana Saldano
2012 - Andy Tuy
2011- Courtney Habegger
2010 - Vihaney Gonzalez (undergraduate); Jeannette Hand (graduate)
2009 - Christine "Betty" Crocker (undergraduate); Paul Nurre (graduate)
2008 - Joanna Reguis
2007 - Paul Nurre and Patrick Dosier (undergraduate); Armen Malazian (graduate)
2006 - Dustin Tatsumi (undergraduate); Russell Plumb (graduate)
The Teacher of the Year Award is given annually to the faculty member who demonstrates exceptional teaching ability. The criteria for evaluating nominees include:
- caring
- the ability to manage the learning process
- subject matter competence
- zeal for teaching
- efforts given to planning
- scholarly writings and other contributions
- development of new curriculum or other teaching materials
- professional development activities that increase their effectiveness
- peer consulting.
Past Honorees
2025 – Julie Lee (agribusiness and food industry management/agricultural science)
2024 - Hyungchul Han (animal and veterinary science)
2023 - Kathy Earle (animal and veterinary science)
2022 - Andrea Watson (animal and veterinary science)
2021 - Tracey Takeuchi (plant science)
2020 - Cord Brundage (animal and veterinary science)
2019 – Ben Lehan (plant science)
2018 – Olive Li (nutrition and food science)
2017 – Gabriel Davidov-Pardo (nutrition and food science)
2016 – Joanne Sohn (animal and veterinary science)
2015 – Melissa Hulgreen (animal and veterinary science)
2014 – Terry Fujimoto (plant science)
2013 - Kimberley Miller (agricultural science)
2012 - Oscar Chavez (animal and veterinary science)
2011 - Frank Yee (plant science)
2010 - Lisa Kessler (human nutrition and food science)
2009 - Douglas Lewis (human nutrition and food science)
2008 - Michele Rash (animal and veterinary science)
2007 - Martin Sancho-Madriz (human nutrition and food science)
2006 - Kent Kurtz (plant science)
The Faculty Advisor of the Year Award is given to the faculty member who does the best quality work in advising students on academics and their career plans.
Past Honorees
2025 – Fatheema Subhan (nutrition and food science)
2024 - Erik Froyen (nutrition and food science)
2023 - Xu Yang (nutrition and food science)
2022 - Olive Li (nutrition and food science)
2021 - Eileen Cullen (plant science)
2020 - Jiangning Che (apparel merchandising and management)
2019 – Gabriel Davidov-Pardo (nutrition and food science)
2018 – Cord Brundage (animal and veterinary science)
2017 – Bonny Burns-Whitmore (nutrition and food science)
2016 – Valerie Mellano (agribusiness and food industry management/agricultural science; plant science)
2015 – Broc Sandelin (animal and veterinary science)
2014 – Michele Rash (animal and veterinary science)
2013 - Lisa Kessler (human nutrition and food science)
2012 - Nancy Merlino (agribusiness and food industry management)
2011 - Muditha Senanayake (apparel merchandising and management)
2010 - Broc Sandelin (animal and veterinary science)
2009 - Fred Roth (plant science)
2008 - Dan Hostetler (plant science)
2007 - Greg Partida (plant science)
2006 - Martin Sancho-Madriz (human nutrition and food science); Michele Rash (animal and veterinary science)
Starting in 2023, the Staff Advisor of the Year Award is given to the staff member who does the best quality work in advising students on academics and their career plans.
Past Recipients
2025 – Henry Flores
2024 - Rosa Lamas Serratos
2023 - Nicole Turner
The Staff of the Year Award is given to a staff member in the college who demonstrates:
- caring
- good communication skills
- initiative
- the ability to assist with the learning process
- zeal for assisting faculty, students, or staff
- effort given to planning
- contributions to a department, college, or university.
- professional development that leads to improved job performance.
Past Honorees
2025 – Patty Mutz (apparel merchandising and management)
2024 - Stacey Cordua (animal and veterinary science)
2023 - Erika Soares (dean's office)
2022 - Efrain Loera (animal and veterinary science)
2021 - Maddi Ogburn (W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center)
2020 - Rubria Wilson (nutrition and food science)
2019 – Jenifer Cazares (agribusiness and food industry management/agricultural science)
2018 – Eva Jaeger (animal and veterinary science)
2017 – Frances Loya (nutrition and food science)
2016 – Tony Espinas (apparel merchandising and management)
2015 – Sarah DeLaParra (animal and veterinary science)
2014 – Duncan McKee (plant science)
2013 - Donna Ha (human nutrition and food science)
2012 - Kate Smith (W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center)
2011 - Sharon Roth (dean's office)
2010 - Sherri Reichardt (animal and veterinary science)
2009 - Mike Moran (plant science)
2008 - Chad Cleveland (plant science)
2007 - Anna Marie Barlet (plant science)
2006 - Penne Fode (dean's office)
Every year, the Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association presents the Distinguished Alumni Awards. One alumnus from each college and athletics is chosen for the honor. The criteria include:
- outstanding achievement in a profession or a vocation
- service to a local, national or global community
- service to Cal Poly Pomona
- nominees must have graduated from Cal Poly Pomona or the Voorhis campus
- recipients can only receive the award once
- current faculty and staff and members of the alumni association's board of directors are ineligible.
The Jim Hicks Agricultural Achievement Award is given to an individual in recognition of their achievements in agriculture and their contributions to agricultural education. It is named after the late businessman Jim Hicks, who was the inaugural recipient of the award in 2015, in honor of his achievements in the agricultural industry and his long-time support of agriculture education.
Past Honorees:
2020 - Tim Luberski
2019 – Susan Kellogg-Bell
2018 – Rose Epperson
2017 – A.G. Kawamura and George Soares
2016 – Karen Caplan
2015 – Jim Hicks