A visionary gift is helping to bring the world to Cal Poly and Cal Poly to the world.

The International Center is thrilled to announce a generous $375,000 donation from an anonymous donor who has now supported students for several years. The gift is aimed at broadening access to study abroad and global opportunities for Cal Poly students.

A portion of the gift will support participation in the Cal Poly in London Global Program, paving a path to studying abroad in one of the world’s most dynamic and historically rich cities, particularly for those who face financial barriers to studying abroad.

A significant portion of the donation will also provide scholarship support for participation in Cal Poly study abroad programs starting summer 2025 and throughout the 2025-26 academic year, helping to provide significant financial support for students with high need.

The visionary gift will also support Cal Poly’s newly launched First Year GO (Global Opportunities) program in Seville, Spain, expanding access to immersive global experiences for students early in their academic journey at Cal Poly. The new initiative will help set the stage for a university career filled with diverse perspectives and experiential learning for the first-year Mustangs who participate, making the world their classroom.

The donation will play a pivotal role in advancing the University’s continued efforts to build equity into its Learn by Doing philosophy. “This impactful gift will greatly enrich global learning experiences for our students,” said Cari Vanderkar, Assistant Vice Provost for International Programs and Senior International Officer. “We are deeply grateful for the inspiring generosity of our donor, who shares in our vision to expand access to these transformative opportunities for students who might not otherwise find their path to studying abroad,” Vanderkar said.