Meet the Staff
The Mustang Success Center provides an inclusive environment that proactively supports first time freshmen with their successful transition and integration into Cal Poly. The center’s staff provides accessible academic advising that guides students to clear pathways of success and builds a foundation for timely graduation.
Director for the Mustang Success Center
Shannon Stephens
Director for the Mustang Success Center
sgstephe@calpoly.edu
805-756-2762
Favorite Quote: "The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli." - George Louis Constanza, Seinfeld
Advisors for the Mustang Success Center
Christina Wolfe-Chandler
crwolfe@calpoly.edu
805-756-5735
Favorite Quote: "Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it." - Maya Angelou
Lindsay Lacey
lilacey@calpoly.edu
805-756-7037
Favorite Quote: "We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developing our wings on the way down." - Kurt Vonnegut
Rebecca Richards
rricha15@calpoly.edu
805-756-7037
Favorite Quote: "I want to know if you can see Beauty even when it is not pretty every day. And if you can source your own life from its presence." - Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Kara Hitchcock
khitch01@calpoly.edu
805-756-5735
Favorite Quote: "Work hard at work worth doing." - Leslie Knope
Katie Escalera
kaescale@calpoly.edu
805-756-5735
Favorite Quote: "Laughter is timeless, imagination has no age, and dreams are forever." - Walt Disney
Cal Poly Scholars Advisors
Carly Head
Assistant Director for the Mustang Success Center
cehead@calpoly.edu
805-756-7036
Cal Poly Scholars Year 1: All College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) students
Cal Poly Scholars Year 2: A-Gonzalez
Favorite Quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” Maya Agelou
Dawin Whiten
dwhiten@calpoly.edu
805-756-5979
Cal Poly Scholars Year 1: College of Engineering (CENG) students last name A-O
Cal Poly Scholars Year 2: Gonzalez Munoz-Martinez
Favorite Quote: "What appears to be the end may really be a new beginning." -Unknown
Alicia Cruz
acruzavi@calpoly.edu
805-756-6211
Cal Poly Scholars Year 1: All Orfalea College of Business (OCOB) & College of Engineering (CENG) students last name P-Z
Cal Poly Scholars Year 2: Medtrano-Sullivan
Favorite Quote: "Do not fear going forward; fear only to stand still." - Chinese Proverb
Annie Xiong
axiong04@calpoly.edu
805-756-6221
Cal Poly Scholars Year 1: College of Liberal Arts (CLA) & College of Science and Mathematic (CSM) students
Cal Poly Scholars Year 2: Sumaya-Zuniga
Favorite Quote: "Life is about choices."
Austin Joseph Ferguson
aufergus@calpoly.edu
805-756-5779
Cal Poly Scholars Year 1: All College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES)
Favorite Quote: “Take your work seriously, but never yourself” - Margot Fonteyn
Carly Head
Assistant Director for the Mustang Success Center
cehead@calpoly.edu
805-756-7036
Teams: M Basketball & Wrestling
Favorite Quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” Maya Agelou
Zach Reed
zreed01@calpoly.edu
805-756-6495
Teams: M/W Track & Field, M/W Cross Country, W Soccer, M/W Swimming and Diving
Favorite Quote: "You can only see the stars when it is dark." - Dr. Eric Thomas
Kyle Ross
kyross@calpoly.edu
805-756-7043
Teams: Football, Baseball, M/W Tennis, Volleyball, Beach Volleyball
Favorite Quote: "There may be people who have more talent than you, but there's no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do and I believe that." - Derek Jeter
Louise Torgerson
ltorgers@calpoly.edu
805-756-7041
42-205
Teams: W Basketball, Football, M Soccer, Softball, M/W Golf
Favorite Quote: "Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud." - Maya Angelou
Mustang Success Center Graduate Students
Austin Ferguson
aufergus@calpoly.edu
52-D46
Favorite Quote: “Take your work seriously, but never yourself” - Margot Fonteyn
Kellina Tran
ktran261@calpoly.edu
52-D46
Favorite Quote: “What matters isn’t if people are good or bad. What matters is, if they’re trying to be better today than they were yesterday. You asked me where my hope comes from? That’s my answer.” – Michael, The Good Place
Mustang Success Center Peer Advisors
Moriah Clarke
success@calpoly.edu
805-756-6211
52-D37
Favorite Quote:"You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -AA Milne
Angela Chen
success@calpoly.edu
805-756-6211
52-D37
Favorite Quote: “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” - Kathryn Stockett
Estefania Reed
success@calpoly.edu
805-756-6211
52-D37
Favorite Quote: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.” -James Keller