Cassie Pitkin

EOP Lead Counselor

cpitkin@calpoly.edu

Hello!  I'm Cassie.  I was born in Port Angeles, WA (go Seahawks!), but mainly grew up in Petaluma, California.  I am a first generation college student as neither of my parents graduated from college. I have two degrees from Cal Poly: my undergraduate degree is in Kinesiology (but now I'm afraid of blood) and my masters degree is in Counseling and Guidance for Higher Education.  When you meet with me, you can expect me to ask a lot of questions to make sure I'm hearing your whole story.  I coach basketball and soccer for Special Olympics and I will never turn down an opportunity to see a good sunset.  I am very proud to work with EOP students every day and I can't wait to meet you!

Lyzette Martin

lmart111@calpoly.edu

Hi! I’m Lyzette. I was born in Los Angeles, CA, but raised in Visalia, CA. I am proud to say I am a first generation college student. I attended College of the Sequoias, a local community college, and transferred to Fresno State where I earned my bachelors in Psychology. I moved to beautiful San Luis Obispo and earned my masters degree at Cal Poly in Counseling and Guidance for Higher Education. I am a HUGE fan of the Dodgers, hiking, and enjoying quality time with friends and family. My goal is to make every student feel welcomed and comfortable enough to ask questions. I am proud to work with such hardworking and motivated students every day and I’m excited to learn more about you!

Nury Baltierrez

nbaltier@calpoly.edu

Hola! I’m Nury. I was born in Michoacán, Coalcomán de Vázquez Palleres, México. My family and I lived in México for the first two years of my life and then we moved to the United States. Navigating higher education as an undocumented first-generation student was challenging, but I connected with individuals who believed in my potential. I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a bachelor’s in Agriculture Science and master’s in Counseling and Guidance for Higher Education. During my free time, I enjoy being outdoors, traveling, and spending time with my family. My passion is to support students’ personal and professional goals. Sí se puede!

Cynthia Paz

cpaz@calpoly.edu

Hello everyone! My name is Cynthia Paz, I was born and raised in Guadalupe, CA.  I began my higher education at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria where I received a degree in Liberal Arts.  I then transferred to Cal State Northridge and received a degree in Child & Adolescent Development.  After working with preschool age children I quickly realized I wanted to work with older students.  I attended Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo where I earned a Master’s of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Counseling and Guidance: Higher Education & Student Affairs. My career goal was to become an Academic Counselor and serve underrepresented students in the Central Coast area. I began my work at Allan Hancock College, working for various departments as an Academic Counselor for over three years. It is one of my greatest accomplishment to be able to work for EOP and this population of students. I love working with students and being part of their educational experience.

When I am not at work I enjoy wine tasting and spending time with my family. I have identical twin boys that are my world. They keep me on my toes and inspire me to be the best person that I can be.

I can’t wait to meet you all!

Vincent Mejia

Hello! My name is Vincent Mejia and I am a second year Economics major. I am a first generation college student and the oldest brother in a family of 5. I hope to one day take what I have learned at Cal Poly and pass on the knowledge as a high school Economics teacher. In my free time, I enjoy hanging out with friends, playing sports, and binge watching T.V. shows.

Patricia Sanchez

I am Patricia Sanchez, a third year Ethnic Studies Major with a Minor in Psychology. Throughout my years at Poly I have learned the meaning of altruism and passion. I realized there was so much work to be done for my community and that I need to continue playing an active role in this.

I love to spend my time watching movies and reading books. I enjoy the outdoors but not as much as I enjoy spending time with friends. My favorite kind of night in SLO is getting together with friends and having a game night.

Daniel Garcia

Hello! My name is Daniel Garcia and my major is Environmental Engineering. I am a first-generation college student from Santa Maria, CA. My pronouns are he/him/his and I most closely identify with being Chicano. I love to dance to Spanish music and sing out loud when no one is around. I also enjoy fantasy-based video games that allow me to immerse myself for hours, but I also like to be active by roller skating. It’s very difficult to describe myself as a person when my perception of myself is different than what people tend to see, but I look forward to meeting all of you soon and creating meaningful relationships!

Emma Zamora

Hi my name is Emma Zamora, and I have the pleasure of being part of the Learning Assistant team for the class of 2018! I am from San Diego, but I am originally from Tijuana, Mexico. I am a fourth year History major, minoring in Latin American Studies and Spanish. My two biggest goals in life are to publish an award winning book and meeting Beyoncé in person. My goal for this summer is to learn everyone's name before the first week is over. I am excited to be part of this team this summer because I love Cal Poly and I love EOP students. I am looking forward to getting to know you all!

Mugen Blue

Hello all! My name is my Mugen Blue and I was born on the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan, but raised in San Diego, California. I came from a very diverse high school called Helix Charter High School and came to Cal Poly as a first generation, low income student pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering. I will be entering my second year here, thanks to the help from EOP and many other resources on campus. Some hobbies to include is that I like to hike, hammock, lift weights, and play sports on my free time.

Damian Moreno

Hi, my name is Damian Moreno, I was born in Hanford, CA and raised in Avenal, CA. I’m a 1st year Animal Science major following the Pre-Vet track. I am the youngest of 3 children and a first generation college student. I enjoy working with animals, playing soccer, and eating out with friends. After graduation I hope to get accepted into Veterinary school and pursue a career as an Exotic Animal Veterinarian.

Brenda Jimenez

My name is Brenda Jimenez, and I am one of the LAs for this summer! I am so excited to meet and work with every single one of you. Let me tell you a little bit about myself, I am a third year Psychology student, from Sacramento CA. I am the proud big sister to two hilarious little brothers. I like being outdoors and exploring nature. I also like pretending to work out, and eating vegetables so it looks like I'm really healthy. I prefer old books and old music, but I can get into the new stuff too. As I start my fourth year here at Cal Poly, I'm excited to continue learning and continue growing. I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of S.I. for three years now, and I know it will be a great experience for you as well. I hope the rest of your summer is wonderful, and I'll see you soon!