This summer, Conference and Event Planning (CEP) organized, hosted and housed more than 3,600 people on campus for workshops, camps, conferences and more, in support of Learn by Doing.

“The opportunity to create a world class experience that allows for young people to study, learn and discover new passions takes a lot of work, so it’s been a little busy,” Senior Conference and Event Coordinator Scott Homolka said. “But we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Homolka, also serving as interim director of CEP, and his team of 12 professional and student staff were all hands-on deck throughout the summer, as they hosted 23 groups who stayed on campus, equating to 1,931 people with 196 room nights. Another 13 groups, or 1,635 people, stayed off campus but participated in conferences on campus. And a total of nine SLO Days sessions housed 146 parents, supporters and students who arrived early.

“It’s so fun to see how excited students and their supporters are when they get here,” Homolka said, “And we get to help introduce them to their new student homes.”

One of the most special events was the Architecture Summer Career Workshop, which hosted 80 high school students living on campus. These students traveled from all over the world to attend a four-week intensive program focusing on introducing students to design fundamentals. Parents were invited to the final gallery exhibit and reception showcasing the student’s work.

CEP also helped plan EPIC, the Engineering Possibilities in College camp. This included three sets of one-week-long sessions for high school students from across the country, who plan to study engineering. These camps conclude with student-constructed cardboard boat races in the pool.

Alongside these events, CEP worked with Wonderful Education Camps, which are college immersion camps for high school seniors and first-generation incoming college freshmen.

On top off all of it, CEP stayed hard at work. They hosted multiple athletic camps, including men’s basketball, volleyball, men’s and women’s soccer. Youth camps like music, journalism, cow camp and Camp Cinder were asol featured on campus.

“Getting new students from different parts of the state the opportunity to visit and experience campus and what university life is like has been so fun to watch,” Homolka said. “The growing array of camps being offered is just outstanding.”

CEP staff also helped coordinate conferences for adult groups, such as California PE Teachers’ Workshop, California Handweavers, Agriculture Teachers Association, Viols West, Developmental Biologists and Early Childhood Educators. Other Workshops were highlighted on campus, like Cal Poly Dairy’s Cheesemaking Courses, Polymers Short Course, Machining Experts and Materials Education.

The department also encouraged a lot of collaboration this summer. The team worked with University Housing to provide eight dorms for groups to stay in during conferences. Campus Dining helped CEP with through-line meals and catering, supplying 29,902 meals from June 21 to Aug. 25. CEP also collaborated with New Student Transition Programs to advertise and accept reservations during SLO Days for parents and supporters of incoming students.

Cal Poly Corporation HR also performed a heavy lift, helping CEP hire 208 summer staff members to support the camps and events.

To learn more about the services offered by CEP, visit https://www.calpolyconferences.org/.