The Viewbook
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Architectural Engineering
Kelsey Parolini What are you doing now?I am a Project Engineer for Lampman and Smith, Structural Engineers in San Luis Obispo and a part time lecturer for the ARCE department. My focus, as with our entire firm, is structural design and consultation, (i.e. designing the skeleton of buildings). Since graduating I have received my Professional Civil Engineering license and hope to one day take it a step further and obtain my Structural Engineering license. How did your program of study at Cal Poly prepare you for your current role? The ARCE program is designed to give students the engineering tools necessary to begin a career in the field of structural engineering. Whether it is research, design, proprietary companies, forensics, evaluation or construction related, the ARCE program is for those interested in Structures. It is well known by potential employers in California that students from the Cal Poly ARCE program are well prepared to begin careers in this field, and I felt myself to be no exception. What did you do when you first graduated from Poly? I was actually working at Lampman and Smith part time while finishing school, and then transitioned into a full time engineering position after graduation. I have been here ever since. How long were you at Poly? Almost 5 years. Did you have any co-ops or internships while at Poly? The summer after my third year of Poly, I took an internship with an engineering firm in Kalispell, Montana. The following summer I spent traveling. And then during my final year of school I worked part time for my current employer. If you could describe your co-op/internship experience, what was the biggest thing that made an impression on you? Both experiences were wonderful. My time in Montana was a little bit selfish, as I really wanted to live up there on the lake for the summer. It took a few weeks to find my role, as the company had never had anyone apply for an internship before. Because of this, I think I was given a much larger role than what may have been the case back home in California. This was my first opportunity to actually design, coordinate with clients, and be out in the field. I came away knowing I wanted to be in design and not research. Because it was such a positive experience, it steered me toward similar size firms here in California. My approach to my second experience was much different as I was looking for a company that I could begin my full time career with. What are your three strongest memories of Cal Poly? Friends... I made some lasting friendships, that although we have moved all over the state, begun families, and careers we still maintain a close friendship. Freedom... the first chance to be on my own. I was responsible for my own choices (both the good ones and the bad ones). Fun... although everything seems to run together in my mind. I look back, and I had a great time. Any lasting memories bring a smile to my face. When you think of Cal Poly you immediately think of this...? The beautiful campus! Although is has undergone some wonderful new growth since I graduated, it still maintains the beauty and quaintness that brought me here. Surrounded by the central coast hills, there is moderate beautiful weather all year round. What brought you to Cal Poly? The ARCE program. Cal Poly was the only California school I even applied to. If it weren't for the program I would have been headed to a Civil Engineering program out of state, and far away from home. I felt then, and still believe now, that it is a one of a kind program here in the western United States. Was your goal to stay locally after graduation? Can you talk about that? I was engaged during my final year and Cal Poly, and married soon after graduation. San Luis Obispo was the one and only California town that both my husband and I were excited about living. We consider ourselves blessed that we had the opportunity to stay and make a life for ourselves here. Neither of us grew up here, but both came here for Cal Poly. When you are not working, what do you find yourself usually doing? Well, we have a home here in San Luis that takes up much of our time. We also have a little four-legged family member that keeps us on our toes and enjoys, hiking, the beach, and anywhere where the ball can be chased. In the summer we enjoy occasional waterskiing and fishing outings. And for my alone time I like to read and quilt.
City & Regional Planning
Arlin Singwald What are you doing now?I'm currently working as a land use planner for the County of San Luis Obispo. My responsibilities include processing land use and coastal development permits and conducting environmental determinations for development proposals throughout the unincorporated areas of the county. Basically, I review development projects for consistency with the County General Plan (blueprint for future development and growth) and Local Coastal Program (if the project is in the Coastal Zone) and then make recommendations to the County Planning Commission or Board of Supervisors to either approve or deny the project. I work a lot with the California Environmental Quality Act (more affectionately known as CEQA). This is a law passed in 1970, which basically makes local governments accountable for the effects that their decisions to approve projects or carryout certain actions have on the environment. So if the County wanted to approve a new subdivision that would result in the construction of 100 new homes, then the County would have to do a study (known as an "Initial Study") to determine the environmental impacts of that decision. The County then makes the developer "mitigate" (this is planner-speak for "reduce") the project's environmental effects to a level of insignificance. I also oversee the permitting of all wireless telecommunications facilities in the County of San Luis Obispo. This is a very challenging responsibility. I must ensure that wireless carriers (e.g. Verizon, Sprint, Cingular, etc.) are able to construct facilities, while minimizing adverse environmental effects (particularly aesthetic concerns) of these facilities. Many people are also concerned with the possible health effects that could result from these "cell sites;" unfortunately, the federal government does not allow local government to consider health concerns when deciding to approve or deny a communications facility. These are the types of dilemmas that planners deal with. The typical planning agency will be divided into two distinct divisions. One division is responsible for actually managing (or "processing") individual development proposals (this is usually called "current planning" or "development review"); and the other division is responsible for actually writing the planning documents, such as the zoning ordinance, general plan, specific plans, design guidelines, etc. (this is usually called "advanced" or "long range" planning). In reality, long range planners often hire consultants to prepare these plans. Then the long range planner's job is to manage the consultant, review their work products, and communicate with the public and decision makers about the plans. I work in current planning. On the surface current planning may seem a little redundant and boring (you're processing projects every day and reviewing planning documents that some other planner got to write), but the truth is that it's an exciting job; it's very fast-paced and you're always negotiating with developers and mediating disputes between groups with very different interests (environmentalists, developers, etc.). The way I think of current planning is that we are on the front lines where things get done. I think all planners (regardless of their interests) should spend at least a couple of years in current planning for a public agency before doing anything else in the planning profession. Last year, the San Luis Obispo City Council appointed me to the City Planning Commission. This is sort of a surreal experience to sit next to my former professors and previous planning directors on the planning commission. It's also a very different perspective on the planning process because I'm now in a decision making role and I'm allowed to actually express my opinions rather than just making objective recommendations. One of my primary goals as a planning commissioner is to advocate for policies and programs that will result in the construction of more affordable housing in the city of San Luis Obispo. Before graduating from college, I was in a position where I could not afford decent shelter for my family. Now it's a very rewarding experience to help create policies that will help other single parents and low income families attain the safe and decent housing that they deserve. How did your program of study at Cal Poly prepare you for your current role? Cal Poly provided me with the academic foundation for my career as a planner. The CRP curriculum is very relevant to my day-to-day work as a planner. The classes gave me the practical experience to more or less hit the ground running when I started working as a planner. For example, at Cal Poly I learned about the environmental review process of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This knowledge about the CEQA process is essential for my job. Perhaps most importantly at Cal Poly I learned to speak "planner" which is a language all of its own. Most words in planner-speak aren't even words but are rather acronyms; so when I started working in a planning office I understood the terms that everyone throws around, like CEQA, NEPA, ND, IS/MND, EIR, CUP, APCD, NOA, NOP, NOD, DA to name a few. To be successful at any job you have to know the "language" of the profession. What did you do when you first graduated from Poly? I was lucky enough to be offered a great job during my senior year, before even graduating. By the time of my senior year, I decided that my passion was to work on affordable housing projects and programs. I believe that society has an inherent responsibility to provide decent housing for all people, regardless of their economic means. If we as a society believe that it's appropriate to pay our service employees a wage of eight or nine dollars an hour, then we should provide housing that is affordable to people on such a limited income. So I was offered the perfect job as a housing planner/analyst for a consulting firm that provides services to public sector clients. I worked for this firm for almost three years and got to work on many great projects. I remember one of my first tasks was to prepare the loan and deed restriction documents for the sale of an inclusionary (i.e. affordable) housing unit. It was actually an emotional experience to sit in this conference room at the title company and watch this couple with their young child beaming with pride and excitement as they signed documents to own their first home. Probably my biggest accomplishment at this job was developing and managing a multi-jurisdictional low-income housing rehabilitation program. My team successfully rehabilitated about 30 homes for low-income families. These were mostly elderly Hispanic households. The families were very gracious to be receiving this assistance. These were fairly major rehabilitation projects; we replaced windows, siding, doors, flooring, dry root, and even were able to add on rooms in cases where there was overcrowded conditions. In total, we invested over $1 million dollars in these rehabilitation projects. The projects were financed by state and federal low or no interest, deferred-payment, second mortgages on the properties. How long were you at Poly? Three years. Did you have any co-ops or internships while at Poly? I started an internship with the San Luis Obispo County Department of Planning and Building during my second quarter at Cal Poly and continued this internship until I graduated. When I got my offer for this internship I was very excited and also surprised. Surprised because during my interview I conceded that I really didn't know anything about planning; I think at that time, I had only taken one very basic introduction planning class. I remember telling the interviewers that all I knew about county planning was that it involved planning for the unincorporated areas of the County. My internship was a very successful and rewarding experience. I made it a point to get the most of the internship. I took the initiative to work on as many projects as possible and asked questions constantly. This experience also helped me excel academically because from an early point in the CRP program I was learning real world, on the ground, practical experience that served as constant reinforcement of the knowledge that I learned in class. In my environmental law class I was learning about CEQA, and then after class I would go to work and write actual CEQA documents for actual projects. I remember having an exam on CEQA. One question said to name three CEQA exemptions. I issued CEQA exemptions every day at my internship, so I was able to respond to this section by citing the actual CEQA guidelines section numbers for several exemptions. Also, during my senior year, I had a class on "public sector planning" where we had to give a presentation on a project at a "mock" planning commission meeting. By this time, as an intern, I had presented at least 5 projects to the actual County of San Luis Obispo Planning Commission. The best advice I could give any college freshman is to get an internship as soon as possible, and make the most of that internship by taking on as many projects that you can get your hands on. This is an investment that is certain to pay off when you graduate and are looking for a job. It's because of my internship that I had four job offers during my senior year at Cal Poly. If you could describe your co-op/internship experience, what was the biggest thing that made an impression on you? I realized: wow, when I graduate, I'm actually going to use all of the stuff that I learn in school. Was your goal to stay locally after graduation? Can you talk about that? After graduating, my goal was to get a job wherever I could. I interviewed as far north as Sacramento and as far south as Riverside. My first job was in Monterey, and then I came back to San Luis Obispo. This is a great place to raise my seven year old son. I feel blessed to live in such a beautiful and safe area. When you are not working, what do you find yourself usually doing? When I'm not working, I'm usually spending time with my son.
Construction Management
Jeff Martin What are you doing now? For the past 14 years, I've had the privilege to serve and grow with Specialty Construction, Inc. in San Luis Obispo. My current title and position is Senior Vice President. Although I wear a lot of hats and have different responsibilities, I primarily serve by directing the company's general construction division in addition to co‐managing total company oversight for policy, procedure, staff and management training, and administration. I also serve as chairman for the company's manager safety advisory committee and participate in the investment oversight committee. I work for an amazing boss and friend. I also have the privilege to work side by side with some of the most talented construction professionals in the region. In addition to my duties at Specialty Construction, I'm an active board member for the San Luis Obispo County Builder's Exchange, AYSO soccer coach, and active leader at Grace Church in San Luis Obispo. How did your program of study at Cal Poly prepare you for your current role? Before answering this question, I should give some background on what happened before entry to Cal Poly. I did not enter college directly from high school. I worked several different construction roles from underground utility construction, site work and light civil construction, and eventually field supervision/superintendence. At the age of 23, I entered college with the desire to become an architect/builder without a complete idea of what was to come. Frankly, I really did not understand the very professional nature of the construction industry and my upcoming experience would change my view of what I needed to succeed. My study at Cal Poly prepared me with the basic tools to be a higher level construction professional. While my previous experience may have provided some of the tools I needed, Cal Poly's Construction Management program refined it and gave me an understanding of what a real construction professional should be. Notwithstanding the wholeness of my education including general education, I learned many new tools critical for advancement in my chosen field: broad study of construction management fundamentals; broader experience towards the design and build environment; improved time management and task management; corporate level communications; lots of writing experience; learning to work with teams (even dysfunctional ones!); and experience the famous Cal Poly "learn by doing." Without this experience and education, I would not possess the career track that I have. In fact, I don't think it would have been attainable without this experience. I have no doubt that my Cal Poly education was a critical factor for shaping my career outcome. And that process continues always… What did you do when you first graduated from Poly? At graduation, I chose to maintain my career progression with a Santa Maria based construction company. Although I worked with this company part time during my academic endeavors at Cal Poly, my post graduation work experience there was like drinking from a fire hose of construction management education. Timing and interest landed me directly in the middle of new and exciting contracting deliveries with the US Navy and US Army Corps of Engineers and I had the fortunate opportunity to manage marketing, bid efforts, and manage construction deliveries for a broad level of regional construction projects throughout the state of California from San Diego, CA to Reno, NV. The first 3 years post graduation, next to Cal Poly, was likely the most advanced learning experience in my 25 year construction career. How long were you at Poly? I completed the remainder of my degree at Cal Poly in 2 academic years plus one quarter. This short time frame is a result of enrolling in a junior college with a transfer specific curriculum. Thanks LA Pierce College! Did you have any co-ops or internships while at Poly? No formal co‐ops or internships. My first year I worked a mix of construction opportunities in San Luis Obispo and southern California primarily consisting of concrete, grading, and carpentry/framing projects. I even worked weekends and the summer season for the Los Angeles County Lifeguards. My second year I worked for the Santa Maria based construction company mentioned above, which became my first employer out of Cal Poly. If you could describe your co-op/internship experience, what was the biggest thing that made an impression on you? Meeting my future wife Jennifer is a standout non academic memory. She was a classmate and architecture student. We attended many classes together and studied as a team making the most of our effort. Our friendship simply grew into much more. Jennifer (Nance) Martin is a local Architect, my wife, friend and a wonderful mother for my two children. While I may not have understood it then, the challenges financially and academically shaped my character and made me stronger and more self confident. Working my way through college encouraged simpler living, and showed me how to make the most out of my resources. This also helped to provide the needed focus that I needed when I arrived at Cal Poly. This was the college experience for me… Appreciating my family and friends more, who I missed dearly during my first year on the central coast. What are your three strongest memories of Cal Poly? Getting there was a long road and a challenge. Finishing there was a dream come true… Was your goal to stay locally after graduation? Can you talk about that? Staying on the central coast was not a goal initially. My circumstances with a wife in school and an excellent local career made it stick and I began to grow roots in the community. At this point in my life, the central coast and San Luis Obispo is my family's root bed… When you are not working, what do you find yourself usually doing? When I am not working, I am devoted to everything family and lots of outdoor activities. I am trying my best to provide my children with a good education and centering our activities with family as much as possible. Our family loves cycling, team sports, fishing, running, surfing, camping, and experiencing occasional road trips. We feel fortunate to live in an area where we are able to enjoy the outdoors every day of the year. My family and I are committed to living out our faith in Jesus Christ and we enjoy the many friends we have made by sharing in that fellowship. My life is very full, chaotic at times, but simply one big blessing. I am so glad that I came to Cal Poly and I love reflecting on this journey I've experienced since that time.
Landscape Architecture
Jeff Ferber What are you doing now?I am living in Arroyo Grande with Jennifer, my wife, who is also a 1985 graduate of the landscape architecture program at Cal Poly. We have a son, Carl 15 and a daughter, Grace 11. I have been working the past 20 years at RRM Design Group in San Luis Obispo with many other Poly grads. My position is Principal -in-charge of Planning and Landscape Architecture. I am currently a member of the Landscape Architecture Department Advisory Council at Cal Poly. How did your program of study at Cal Poly prepare you for your current role? I think Cal Poly helped me to learn to be balanced and well rounded. My position at RRM requires me to wear several hats, with a different emphasis in each area of responsibility. I also do a lot of public speaking in my job and Cal Poly was the first place that really required me to get comfortable with presenting myself and my projects to an audience. Cal Poly also helped me to become disciplined with my time, which is an important aspect for any business owner. What did you do when you first graduated from Poly? Immediately following graduation I moved to Laguna Beach and went to work for the Landscape Architecture firm, Woodward Dike just a short walk from the beach. I did a lot of drawing that first year and learned much about the technical aspects of the profession. How long were you at Poly? I enjoyed four great years at Cal Poly. I transferred after one year of Moorpark Community College in Ventura County. Did you have any co-ops or internships while at Poly? Yes. I worked during the summer for a couple of Landscape Architects in Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village. They were small offices and though the time was short, I learned what it was like to be in an office. If you could describe your co-op/internship experience, what was the biggest thing that made an impression on you? I think the experience impressed me with the reality of working on a client's project meant that I had a responsibility to do things correctly. The project was real, the deadline was real, and someone was spending money. What are your three strongest memories of Cal Poly? Meeting my wife Jennifer as well as life-long friends is my most important and vivid memory. We met in the text book section of the El Corral book store. After that I would say my best memories include walking the campus, which I still love doing today, and playing soccer for the men's team in Mustang Stadium. Every time I attend a game in Mustang Stadium I tell my kids stories about great games we played. When you think of Cal Poly you immediately think of this...? A great start to my career and the gateway to my grown-up life. What brought you to Cal Poly? I had been researching Landscape Architecture when I was in high school and at the community college and Cal Poly really seemed like a fit for me. I fell in love with the school my first hour on campus. Was your goal to stay locally after graduation? Can you talk about that? I really didn't think there was much of an opportunity to stay in San Luis Obispo. Jennifer and I both moved to Orange County to start our careers and we married one year later. Living in beautiful Dana Point, we often visited the Central Coast on weekends. I started graduate school at Cal State Fullerton, thinking I might be able to secure a teaching position at Poly. Before I completed the advanced degree we had the opportunity to return via my position at RRM Design Group. We thought this would be a great place to raise a family. When you are not working, what do you find yourself usually doing? Jennifer and I love to work in the garden. We always have a couple of projects going. I also have been active with my kids, coaching youth soccer for the past 11 years