Local Connections

Local Connections connects first-year or transfer students who are from all of the United States to a local SLO family and other out-of-state students. Since out-of-state students are far away from home, having local connections is a great help. Sponsors and students do various activities together, such as hiking, eating out, going to farmer's market, etc. SLO families and their student have fun choosing any activity they both enjoy. We match sponsors and students the best we can based on interests and hobbies. Local Connections will host 1-2 group events per quarter so all of the participants can get to know each other. The idea to create a sponsor program at Cal Poly was sparked by Julia and Scott Starkey (pictured above with their two students) who saw the benefit of having this kind of program for their child, Hayden. Julia said, “A sponsor program gives those students who are far from home the opportunity to have a local connection that offers some of the benefits of being close to family. Many of these students just need a place to get away, a home cooked meal, or simply a little peace and comfort. We greatly appreciated our son Hayden’s sponsors while he was in Annapolis at the Naval Academy and we continue to maintain a relationship with them to this day. Hayden really enjoyed the time he spent with them and his mini getaways at their home.”