Maria Sandoval '94, Marketing

Maria Sandoval '94, marketing, says she was inspired to return to campus life as an active alumna because of her positive experiences as an undergrad at Cal Poly Pomona.

The 31-year-old loan consultant and Fullerton resident is one of four new Cal Poly Pomona Alumni Association board members recently elected to begin serving a three-year term on July 1.

"I would like Cal Poly Pomona's Alumni Association to be a networking machine," she says. "And for all the alumni who are reading this article: stay a member forever, and let's recruit others to become members too."

She adds that she looks forward to learning more about the functions of the Association and thinks the new 2003 alumni directory helps grads connect.

Sandoval enrolled in the university in 1990 as an "undeclared" major, but after involving herself with numerous campus organizations, such as the Latino Business Student Association (LBSA), the United Business Student Senate and Delta Delta, a co-ed fraternity, she found marketing to be a good fit. She was president of LBSA in her last year at Cal Poly Pomona.

"Cal Poly Pomona helped shape who I am today," Sandoval says. "The classes and organizations helped me develop strong leadership skills."

After graduating, Sandoval started her career at Corporate America, and then went on to work at telephone companies AT&T and Pacific Bell/SBC. Today, she is an independent Realtor and loan consultant at Global Real Estate in Covina.

"I met many fine people at the university who guided me in choosing my career. They also helped me see the importance of getting involved on campus," she says.

Sandoval joined the Alumni Association last year, and one of her goals as a board member is to work on its membership committee.

"I am a busy person who is always on the go, but I will always make time for my commitments: I want to promote the Alumni Association, grow membership and give back to my alma mater," Sandoval says.

The Alumni Association began in 1972 to ensure the future welfare of the university. Thirty years later, the Association now counts more than 3,400 alumni in its membership, with 18 volunteer directors on its board.

Annual Association highlights include a golf tournament, the Distinguished Alumni Awards dinner and a variety of networking opportunities.

However, those are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the organization's functions. As campus life changes, so do the activities of the association. This year, an important milestone was organizing an extra "P" to go on the "CP" hill. On May 22, 2003, Alumni Association president Jon Lundstrom '76 along with past association presidents Lowell Overton '77 and Margo Morales '82 presented Cal Poly Pomona President Bob Suzuki with the new design for the concrete icon, on behalf of the Alumni Association.

"The Alumni Association is composed of members who value education, and especially as it is delivered at Cal Poly Pomona," says Pamela Allen, director of Alumni Affairs. "While there are tangible benefits, alumni tell me their membership is a symbol of support and appreciation for the education they received."

Basic purposes of the Association, as listed in its charter, begin with continued educational and cultural growth for Cal Poly Pomona alumni, maintaining communication between the university and its alumni, and maximizing the use of alumni resources to support charitable goals.

"Personally, I view Association members as VIP alumni, and treat them accordingly," Allen says. "When I receive phone calls from alumni who offer ideas, suggestions and even criticism, it's a contribution. It's a pleasure to foster relationships with those who care so much about the university, our students and the value of education."

Other new faces to join the Association's board are Stan Andrade '81, architecture; Eric Hass '02, behavioral sciences; and Byron Ramirez '96, finance.